Electrode potentials & electrochemical cells

A student sets up a standard cell based on redox systems 2 and 4.

Draw a labelled diagram to show how this cell could be set up to measure its standard cell potential.

Include the conditions required to measure the standard cell potential.

standard conditions........

Calculate the standard cell potential of this cell.

A student predicts that cobalt metal will reduce acidified VO²⁺ ions to form V²⁺ ions in two stages.

Explain why this two-stage reduction should happen in terms of electrode potentials and equilibria shifts.

Include overall equations for the predicted reactions.

This question is about two metal hydrides, lithium aluminium hydride, LiAl H₄, and sodium borohydride, NaBH₄. Both hydrides are used as reducing agents in organic chemistry.

What is the systematic name of the alcohol C₆H₅CH₂OH?

Calculate the mass of LiAl H₄ that the student should use in Step 2 and the percentage yield of pure C₆H₅CH₂OH obtained in Step 4.

Give the mass of LiAl H₄ and the percentage yield of pure C₆H₅CH₂OH to 3 significant figures.

Percentage yield of pure C₆H₅CH₂OH =........ %

In the preparation, LiAl H₄ behaves as a nucleophile.

What is meant by the term nucleophile ?

The mechanism for Step 2 in the reduction of C₆H₅COOC₂H₅ is shown below. In the mechanism, LiAl H₄ can be represented as H^–.

Complete the mechanism by adding curly arrows to the three boxes.

Suggest why the student heated the mixture from Step 2 with dilute aqueous acid in Step 3.

NaBH₄ contains Na⁺ and BH₄^– ions.

Draw a ‘dot‑and‑cross’ diagram for NaBH₄.

Use a different symbol for the electrons from each element.

Show outer electrons only.

NaBH₄/ O₂ cells are being investigated as potential fuel cells.

• The positive electrode contains O₂.

• The negative electrode contains NaBH₄.

The reaction at the positive electrode and the overall cell reaction for a NaBH₄/ O₂ fuel cell are shown below.

Overall cell reaction: NaBH₄ + 2O₂ NaBO₂ + 2H₂O E = 1.64 V

What is the standard electrode potential of the negative electrode in this cell?

Construct the equation for the reaction at the negative electrode of this cell.

This question is about redox reactions and electrode potentials.

The flowchart shows some reactions of barium and its compounds.

• Write balanced equations for Reaction 1 and Reaction 2.

• Identify the type of reaction in Reaction 3.

Reaction 1: equation........

Reaction 2: equation........

Reaction 3: type of reaction........

Potassium iodate tablets prevent the uptake of radioactive iodine in the human body following a nuclear accident.

The mass of potassium iodate(V), KIO₃, in a tablet can be determined by reaction with an aqueous solution of potassium iodide, K I, in the presence of acid.

A chemist finds that two KIO₃ tablets react with exactly 26.2 cm³ 0.150 mol dm^–3 KI.

Calculate the mass, in mg, of KIO₃ in one tablet.

Give your answer to the nearest whole number.

Standard electrode potentials are measured by comparison with a reference half-cell.

Draw a labelled diagram to show how the standard electrode potential could be measured for the redox system below.

Include details of the apparatus, solutions and the standard conditions needed when measuring this standard electrode potential.

Standard conditions........

Many electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion cells.

Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells can also be used to power vehicles.

Six redox systems are shown in the table. State symbols have been omitted.

Redox system	Half-equation	E / V
1	Li+ + e– Li	–3.04
2	2H2O + 2e– H2 + 2OH–	–0.83
3	2H+ + 2e– H2	0.00
4	O2 + 2H2O + 4e– 4OH–	+0.40
5	Li+ + CoO2 + e– LiCoO2	+1.16
6	O2 + 4H+ + 4e– 2H2O	+1.23

A lithium-ion cell involves redox systems 1 and 5.

Construct the overall cell equation for a lithium-ion cell.

Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells can operate in acidic or in alkaline conditions.

Show that for acidic and alkaline hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells, the standard cell potentials, and the overall cell equations, are the same.

Acidic........

Alkaline........

Some grass fertilisers contain compounds of iron.

During heavy rain, a fertiliser is washed into a nearby river causing the water to be polluted with a mixture of iron(II) and iron(III) ions.

A student determines the concentration of iron(II) ions in a sample of river water by titration with potassium manganate(VII).

25.0 cm³ portions of river water are acidified with dilute sulfuric acid. Each portion is titrated with 0.00250 mol dm –3 potassium manganate(VII) until a colour change is seen.

State the colour change seen at the end point of the titration.

The student’s titration results are shown in the table below. The trial titre has been omitted.

Complete the table above and calculate the mean titre that the student should use to determine the concentration of iron(II) ions in the river water.

Determine the concentration, in mol dm –3, of iron(II) ions in the river water.

concentration =........ mol dm^–3

Standard electrode potentials for two redox systems are shown below.

What is the standard electrode potential for Cr²⁺(aq) + 2e^– Cr(s)?

A –0.32 V

B –0.90 V

C –1.16 V

D –1.80 V

Your answer

This question is about reactions of transition metal compounds.

Explain why ethane-1,2-diamine can act as a bidentate ligand.

The iron(III) ion, Fe³⁺, forms a complex ion A with two ethane-1,2-diamine ligands and two chloride ligands.

Complex ion A has cis and trans stereoisomers. One of these stereoisomers exists as optical isomers.

Determine the empirical formula, with charge, of complex ion A and draw the 3-D structures of the three stereoisomers.

Empirical formula with charge........

Structures

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is added to an aqueous solution of iron(II) sulfate. A pale green precipitate forms which turns brown when left to stand in air.

Write an ionic equation for the formation of the pale green precipitate.

* This question is about copper and copper compounds.

Experiment 1 Hydrochloric acid, HCl (aq), is added to an aqueous solution containing [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺ complex ions. A yellow-green solution forms containing complex ion B.

Experiment 2 A piece of copper metal is heated with concentrated sulfuric acid. A reaction takes place forming a pale blue solution C and 45 cm³ of a gas D, measured at RTP. The mass of gas D is 0.12 g.

Experiment 3 An excess of copper(II) oxide is heated with dilute nitric acid. The resulting mixture is filtered. The filtrate is a blue solution E. Aqueous potassium iodide, K I (aq), is added to the blue solution E. A white precipitate F and a brown solution G form.

Determine the formulae of B – G. Construct equations for the reactions taking place, include any changes in oxidation number,

and show your working where appropriate.

This question is about redox reactions.

‘Calcium hypochlorite’, Ca(Cl O)₂, is an ionic compound used in ‘bleaching powder’.

The Cl O^– ion in Ca(Cl O)₂ is the active ingredient that kills bacteria.

Calcium hypochlorite is prepared by reacting chlorine gas with calcium hydroxide.

A student analyses the redox reactions shown below. State symbols have been omitted.

The student concludes that different ions containing chromium can act as oxidising or reducing agents.

Using the terms oxidising agent and reducing agent, and ideas about electrode potentials and equilibrium, explain how the student is correct.

Include overall equations.

A student bubbles hydrogen sulfide gas, H₂S(g), through an acidified solution containing manganate(VII) ions, MnO₄^–(aq).

A redox reaction takes place, forming aqueous manganese(II) ions, a yellow precipitate and one other product.

Construct the equation for this reaction. State symbols are not required.

Storage cells and fuels cells are types of electrochemical cell.

The electrode potentials for five redox systems are shown in Table 19.1.

A student sets up an electrochemical cell based on redox systems 1 and 4 in Table 19.1.

Draw a labelled diagram to show how this cell could be set up in the laboratory.

Construct the equation for the overall cell reaction.

In acid conditions, MnO₄^2–(aq) disproportionates to form MnO₂(s) and MnO₄^–(aq).

Explain, in terms of oxidation numbers, why disproportionation has taken place.

Explain, in terms of electrode potentials and equilibrium shifts why MnO₄^2– disproportionates in acid conditions. Use the information in Table 19.1.

An alkaline hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell is set up.

The overall equation for the cell reaction is shown below. 2H₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2H₂O(l) Redox system 2 in Table 19.1 is the positive electrode of this cell.

Write the half-equation at the negative electrode.

The cell potential is 1.23 V.

Calculate the electrode potential of the negative electrode.

State one important feature of a fuel cell that is different from a conventional storage cell.

This question is about reactions of ions and compounds of transition elements.

A student carries out two experiments on a solution containing [Cr(H₂O)₆]³⁺(aq).

Experiment 1 The student adds an excess of aqueous ammonia to a solution containing [Cr(H₂O)₆]³⁺ until a purple solution is formed.

Experiment 2 The student carries out the following reaction sequence.

Step 1 NaOH(aq) is added slowly to a solution containing [Cr(H₂O)₆]³⁺(aq) in a boiling tube. A grey–green precipitate forms.

Step 2 An excess of NaOH(aq) is added to the boiling tube. The precipitate dissolves and a green solution forms containing a 6 coordinate complex ion.

Step 3 H₂O₂ is added to the mixture and the boiling tube is heated. A yellow solution forms.

Step 4 The solution in the boiling tube is acidified. The solution now contains Cr₂O₇²⁻(aq).

What is the formula of the complex ion in the purple solution that forms in Experiment 1

Suggest an equation for the reaction in Experiment 2, Step 1. Include state symbols.

Draw a 3-D diagram for the shape of the complex ion that forms in Experiment 2, Step 2 Include the charge of the ion.

What is the formula of the ion that causes the yellow colour in Experiment 2, Step 3

State the colour of the solution that forms in Experiment 2, Step 4.

Vanadium ions have four common oxidation states. Table 18.1 shows the colours of the ions in aqueous solution.

Complete the electron configuration of a V³⁺ ion.

The student adds excess iron to a solution containing VO²⁺(aq) ions, and observes that the colour of the solution changes from blue to green and then to violet.

Use the relevant standard electrode potentials shown in Table 18.2 to explain these observations.

Construct an equation for the first colour change from blue to green.

Iron(II) gluconate, C₁₂H₂₂FeO₁₄, is the active ingredient in some brands of iron supplements.

A student carries out an experiment to determine the mass of iron(II) gluconate in one tablet of an iron supplement, using the method below.

Stage 1 The student crushes two tablets and dissolves the powdered tablets in dilute sulfuric acid.

Stage 2 The student makes up the solution from Stage 1 to 250.0 cm³ in a volumetric flask.

Stage 3 The student then titrates 25.0 cm³ portions of the solution obtained in Stage 2 with 0.00200 mol dm⁻³ potassium manganate(VII).

The student obtains a mean titre of 13.50 cm³.

In this titration, 1 mol of manganate(VII) ions reacts with 5 mol of iron(II) ions.

Explain why the student used 0.00200 mol dm⁻³ potassium manganate(VII) solution for this titration, rather than the more usual concentration of 0.0200 mol dm⁻³ used in manganate(VII) titrations.

Use the student’s results to determine the mass, in mg, of iron(II) gluconate in one tablet.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

This question is about some reactions of d block elements and their ions.

Table 21.1 shows standard electrode potentials which will be needed within this question.

Complete the electron configuration of

a Ni atom: 1s²........

a Ni²⁺ ion: 1s²........

A standard cell is set up in the laboratory with the cell reaction shown below.

Draw a labelled diagram to show how this cell could be set up to measure its standard cell potential.

Include details of apparatus, solutions and the standard conditions required.

Standard conditions........

Predict the standard cell potential of this cell.

Use the information in Table 21.1 to help you answer both parts of this question.

Write the overall equation for the oxidation of Fe²⁺ by acidified H₂O₂.

Zinc reacts with acidified Cr₂O₇^2– ions to form Cr²⁺ ions in two stages.

Explain why this happens in terms of electrode potentials and equilibria.

Include overall equations for the reactions which occur.

* Three different reactions of copper compounds are described below.

Reaction 1: Aqueous copper(II) sulfate reacts with excess aqueous ammonia in a ligand substitution reaction. A deep-blue solution is formed, containing an octahedral complex ion, C, which is a trans isomer.

Reaction 2: Copper(I) oxide reacts with hot dilute sulfuric acid in a disproportionation reaction. A blue solution, D, and a brown solid, E are formed.

Reaction 3: Copper(II) oxide reacts with warm dilute nitric acid in a neutralisation reaction, to form a blue solution. Unreacted copper(II) oxide is filtered off, and the solution is left overnight in an evaporating basin. A hydrated salt, F, crystallises, with the percentage composition by mass: Cu, 26.29%; H, 2.48%; N, 11.59%; O, 59.63%.

Identify C – F by formulae or structures, as appropriate.

Include equations, any changes in oxidation number, and working.

This question looks at reactions of hydrogen peroxide and of cobalt(II) ions.

Aqueous hydrogen peroxide decomposes as shown in equation 2.1.

The reaction is catalysed by manganese(IV) oxide, MnO₂.

A student investigates the decomposition of a hydrogen peroxide solution as outlined below.

• The student adds 50.00 cm³ of H₂O₂(aq) to a conical flask.

• The student adds a small spatula measure of MnO₂ and quickly connects the flask to a gas syringe.

• The student measures the volume of oxygen every 200 seconds.

The student allows the reaction in equation 2.1 to proceed until no more gas is evolved. The volume of O₂ in the syringe is now 55 cm³, measured at RTP.

Calculate the initial concentration of the H₂O₂.

Give your answer to two significant figures.

initial concentration of H₂O₂ =........ mol dm^–3

Hydrogen peroxide can act as an oxidising agent or as a reducing agent.

Some standard electrode potentials are shown below.

Use this information to write an equation for a reaction in which hydrogen peroxide acts as a reducing agent.

Cobalt(II) forms complex ions with water ligands and with chloride ligands.

• With water ligands, cobalt(II) forms a pink octahedral complex ion, [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺.

• With chloride ligands, cobalt(II) forms a blue tetrahedral complex ion.

A student dissolves cobalt(II) sulfate in water in a boiling tube. A pink solution forms.

Experiment 1 The student places the boiling tube in a water bath at 100 °C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid is added dropwise. The colour of the solution changes from pink to blue.

Experiment 2 The student places the boiling tube from experiment 1 in an ice/water bath at 0 °C. The colour of the solution changes from blue to pink.

Write the equilibrium equation for the reaction that takes place when the colour of the solution changes.

Explain the observations and predict whether the formation of the blue colour is exothermic or endothermic.