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Electrochemistry Lecture with Exercises (General Chemistry)

Senior High School (Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic
University of the Philippines)

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ELECTROCHEMISTRY Rules in Oxidation Number

ELECTROCHEMISTRY 1. Free Elements (uncombined state) have an

- Branch of chemistry that deals with the
interconversion of electrical energy and chemical
energy
Electrochemical processes are oxidation- reduction
reactions in which:
● the energy released by a spontaneous
reaction is converted to electricity or
● electrical energy is used to cause a
nonspontaneous reaction to occur
Batteries are the most familiar devices for
converting between electrical and chemical
energies. Laptops and other gadgets rely on
batteries to provide the electricity needed for
operation.
oxidation number of zero.
Na, Be, K, Pb, H2, O2, P4= 0
2. In monatomic ions, the oxidation number is
equal to the charge on the ion.
Li+,Li=+1;Fe3+,Fe=+3; O2-,O=-2
3. The oxidation number of oxygen is usually –2.
In H2O2 and O22-it is –1.
4. The oxidation number of hydrogen is +1 except
when it is bonded to metals in binary compounds.
In these cases, its oxidation number is –1.
5. Group IA metals are +1, IIA metals are +2 and
fluorine is always –1.
6. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all the
atoms in a molecule or ion is equal to the charge on
the molecule or ion.

OXIDATION-REDUCTION (REDOX) REACTIONS

- involves transfer of electrons and is made up of
two half - reactions (oxidation and reduction):
Oxidation - loss of electrons
Reduction – gain of electrons

(Since, electrons are negatively charged, an

atom that is oxidized (losses electrons) will
have an increase in its oxidation number (more
+) and an atom that is reduced (gains electrons)
will have a decrease in its oxidation number
(more -)

2Mg(s) + O2 (g) → 2MgO(S)

In the reaction:
Mg lost electrons. We say Mg was oxidized.
HIGHER ELECTRONEGATIVITY,
O gained electrons. It was reduced.
HIGHER MASS.

Each of the two half-processes cannot happen

Oxidation: Loss of electrons, ON ↑
independently without the other half- process.
Reduction: Gain of electrons, ON ↓
Hence, when one reads phrases like “the
oxidation of magnesium”, there is emphasis
placed on what is happening to the magnesium
metal, but there is always an accompanying
reduction process.

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Oxidizing agent (oxidant) Zn electrode (anode): Zn(s) Zn2+ (aq) + 2e-

- the reactant that carries the atom or element that
is reduced - substance that acquires electrons,
thereby causing another substance to be oxidized
and so is reduced in the process
Reducing agent (reductant)
- the reactant that carries the atom or element that
is oxidized - substance that gives up electrons,
thereby causing another substance to be reduced.
and so is oxidized in the process
Cu electrode (cathode): Cu2+(aq) + 2e-
Cu(s)
Salt bridge
- an inverted U tube containing an inert
electrolyte solution, such as NaCl, KCl or
NH4NO3 (whose ions will not react with other
ions in solution or with the electrodes) that
prevents build up of positive charge in anode
compartment (due to the formation of Zn2+
ions) and negative charge in the cathode
compartment (created when some of the Cu2+
ions are reduced to Cu) which would stop the
cell from operating.

Cell Notation (a.k.a Cell Diagram)

- is a shorthand form of a galvanic cell (rather
than drawing a complete set-up)

ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
Spontaneous
- The energy released by a spontaneous redox
reaction is converted to electricity or
- conducted in a galvanic cell Cell Potential
- (a.k.a. voltaic cell) - the difference in electrical potential between the
anode and cathode
Non-Spontaneous - electromotive force, or cell voltage
- Electrical energy is used to cause a - Cell Potential (Ecell)
nonspontaneous reaction to occur
- also known as electrolysis Electromotive Force (EMF)
- conducted in an electrolytic cell - because it provides the driving force that
pushes electrons through the external circuit
GALVANIC CELLS Cell Voltage
- an experimental apparatus for generating - because it is measured in volts
electricity through the use of a spontaneous
redox reaction “An Ox”: anode where oxidation happens
- a device in which the transfer of electrons (from “Red cat”: reduction happens in the cathode
a spontaneous redox reaction) takes place
through an external pathway rather than
directly between reactants present in the same
reaction vessel.

Anode - electrode at which oxidation occurs

Cathode - electrode at which reduction occurs

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ELECTROLYSIS
- is the process in which electrical energy is used
to cause a non spontaneous chemical reaction to
occur.
Electrolytic Cell
- is an apparatus for carrying out electrolysis.
The same principles underlie electrolysis
and the processes that take place in galvanic
cells.

The external battery supplies the electrons.

They enter through the cathode and come out
through the anode:
Anode – is the positive electrode
Cathode – is the negative electrode

“PANIC”: Positive in Anode, Negative in

Cathode

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TRIVIAS

1. Furan in canned tuna

- furan is a toxin categorized as possible
carcinogen
- tuna contains omega-3 fatty acid (unsaturated
fatty acid)

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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT smallest whole-number coefficients, the coefficient

of S is _____.
1. Complete and balance the following redox
H2S + HNO3 → S + NO (acidic solution)
equation. What is the coefficient of H2O when the
equation is balanced with the set of smallest
whole-number coefficients?
– – – (basic) Ans: 3
H2O + MnO4 + I → MnO2 + IO3
3H2S + 2HNO3 → 3S + 2NO + 4H2O

Ans: 1
5. Consider an electrochemical cell constructed from
H2O + 2MnO4- + I- → 2MnO2 + IO3- + 2OH-
the following half cells, linked by a KCl salt bridge.

2. A balanced redox equation must have which of the - a Fe electrode in 1.0 M FeCl 2 solution

following: - a Sn electrode in 1.0 M Sn(NO 3) 2 solution

I. The same number of each type of atom on

both sides of the equation. When the cell is running spontaneously, which

II. The total number electrons lost in the choice includes only true statements and no false

oxidation equal to the total number of ones? Sn is more electronegative than Sn.

electrons gained in the reduction. A. The tin electrode gains mass and the tin

III. The same total charge of all ionic species electrode is the cathode.

on both sides of the reaction. B. The iron electrode loses mass and the iron

IV. H2O present as a product or a reactant. electrode is the cathode.

C. The iron electrode gains mass and the iron

Ans: I, II, III electrode is the anode.

D. The tin electrode loses mass and the tin

3. In an electrolytic cell, electrical energy is used to electrode is the cathode.

cause a chemical reaction to occur that would

otherwise be nonspontaneous. Ans: The tin electrode gains mass and the tin

electrode is the cathode.

Ans: TRUE HIGHER ELECTRONEGATIVITY,

HIGHER MAS

4. Complete and balance the following redox

equation. When properly balanced using the

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