The Standard Electrode Potential

Definition:
The voltage of cell produced by connecting the
half cell with a standard hydrogen electrode. All
conditions must be standard;
•One atmosphere pressure for all gases
•One molar concentration for all solutions
•Temperature of 298 K
The Standard Hydrogen
Electrode
 Ecell ,Total Entropy Change and KC
∆Stotal = Rln Kc
R is the gas constant. So the bigger the total
entropy change the further “over to the right” will
lie the equilibrium position.
The more positive the Ecell value the bigger the Kc
value
 The Hydrogen
Fuel Cell

2H2= 4H++ 4e
O2+ 4 e = 2O2-
Electrons move from the hydrogen side to the oxygen
side
The electrodes are made of platinum with an added
catalyst. The membrane allows hydrogen ions to pass
through but not molecules.
 The Methanol
Fuel Cell

Because methanol is a
liquid you can get much
more energy into a tank of
fuel than if the fuel were
hydrogen.

However, carbon dioxide is produced.

Half equations are
Overall equation is
 Breathalysers

These measure the amount of ethanol in expired

air.
 Fuel Cell
Breathalysers

The exhaled air flows along one side of the cell.

A piece of platinum oxidises any ethanol to
ethanoic acid, hydrogen ions and electrons
 Fuel Cell Breathalyser
The equation is
C2H5OH + ½ O2 = CH3COOH + 2H+ + 2e
The two protons move through the fuel cell to a
second piece of platinum which catalyses their
conversion to water.
The equation is
½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e = H2O
The overall equation is
C2H5OH + O2 = CH3COOH + H2O
 Fuel Cell Breathalyser
So on one piece of platinum you have a chemical
reaction in which electrons are being PRODUCED
And another piece of platinum in which electrons
are being CONSUMED.
So you have a fuel cell
An electric current flows through a meter between
the two pieces of platinum.
The bigger the current the more alcohol there is.
 Fuel Cell
Breathalyser
Electrons flow from
the electrode where
ethanol is being
oxidised to ethanoic
acid to
the other electrode
where oxygen is being
reduced to
water.
These breath machines give a “preliminary breath
test”. The instrument is not sufficiently reliable to
be used in court so the arrested driver has to be
taken to the police station for a more reliable test.
Breathalysers
Some police forces have
modified the apparatus so
that if the driver appears
to be a chav they can
arrange for the breath test
to be positive even if he
has not been drinking.