CELLS

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE

 The devices which convert electrical energy into chemical energy or
vice versa are called cells. Based on the activity taking place in them, these
devices are classified into two major categories:

1. Electrolytic cells.
2. Electrochemical cells or galvanic cells (voltaic cells).

The devices in which physical or chemical changes occur in the

presence of applied electrical energy are referred to as electrolytic cells. The
devices in which electrical energy is generated on account of the chemical
reactions occurring in them are known as galvanic cells. Common example of
galvanic cell is Daniell cell in which the following cell reaction takes place:

𝑍𝑛 + 𝐶𝑢𝑆𝑂4 → 𝑍𝑛𝑆𝑂4 + 𝐶𝑢

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE

 Galvanic cells may be classified into chemical and concentration cells.
Further, chemical cells are classified into two categories, namely primary and
secondary cells.

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE

REDOX REACTIONS

In any reaction, a substance can lose electrons to be oxidized, only if

there is another present, which will readily accept these electrons and get
reduced. Such reactions in which oxidation and reduction take place
simultaneously are known as redox reactions. For example, in the reaction:

𝑍𝑛 + 𝐶𝑢𝑆𝑂4 → 𝑍𝑛𝑆𝑂4 + 𝐶𝑢

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE

 Zn loses two electrons and gets oxidized, whereas copper gains two
electrons and is reduced from 𝐶𝑢2+ to Cu. Redox reactions may be termed as
direct or indirect redox reactions depending on whether both oxidation and
reduction are taking place in the same or different vessels, respectively. In
most of electrochemical cells, indirect redox reactions take place and can be
expressed in terms of half-cell reactions. The overall reaction is represented
in terms of two reactions, one representing the oxidation and the other
representing the reduction. For instance, in the earlier example, the half
reaction may be written as:

Overall redox reaction: 𝐶𝑢2+ 𝑎𝑞 + 𝑍𝑛 𝑠 → 𝐶𝑢 𝑠 + 𝑍𝑛2+ (𝑎𝑞)

Oxidation half reaction: 𝑍𝑛 𝑠 → 𝑍𝑛2+ 𝑎𝑞 + 2𝑒 −
Reduction half reaction: 𝐶𝑢2+ 𝑎𝑞 + 2𝑒 − → 𝐶𝑢(𝑠)

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE

ASSIGNMENT 2

1. Differentiate electrolytic and galvanic cells.

2. Using cell reaction,
3𝑋 + 4𝑌 3+ ⇌ 3𝑋 4+ + 4𝑌
Write down the half-cell reactions.

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS CEFFORTES, ECE