Skip to main content
Ch.20 - Electrochemistry

Chapter 20, Problem 29f

A voltaic cell similar to that shown in Figure 20.5 is constructed. One electrode half-cell consists of a silver strip placed in a solution of AgNO3, and the other has an iron strip placed in a solution of FeCl2. The overall cell reaction is Fe1s2 + 2 Ag+1aq2 ¡ Fe2+1aq2 + 2 Ag1s2 (f) In which directions do the cations and anions migrate through the solution?

Verified Solution
Video duration:
2m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
734
views
Was this helpful?

Video transcript

welcome back everyone. A voltaic cell with an overall cell reaction of zinc solid reacting with cobalt caddy on to produce zinc two plus Catalan and solid cobalt is built similar to the diagram shown below the electrodes of the half cells are made up of a strip of zinc placed in a zinc to nitrate solution and a strip of cobalt placed in a cobalt two chloride solution. In what direction do the caddy on and an ion flow through the solution. So according to that given reaction here we are going from solid zinc to forming our zinc catalon. And we should recognize that from this half reaction, zinc goes from its standard state as a medal with an oxidation state or oxidation number equal to zero To having an oxidation state equal to the charge of the Caddy on here of Plus two. So we have an increased oxidation number and because we have an increase in oxidation number, we can confirm that this half reaction occurs as an oxidation and we would recall that our oxidation reaction occurs at the node of our voltaic cell. Now going back to our equation, we see that we begin with again on our react inside the cobalt two plus kati on to form solid cobalt on the product side. So we have cobalt and we'll use a different color here cobalt two plus to form solid cobalt. Where we should recognize that we went from an oxidation state of plus to being our ion charge to an oxidation states of cobalt in its standard state as a metal being zero. Recall that anything with a oxidation or any any substance in its standard state is going to have an oxidation number of zero. And so we have a decrease in oxidation number, which means that this reaction occurs as a reduction recall that our reduction occurs at our cathode of our voltaic cell. And based on what we've outlined, we can say that our cat ions migrate to the cathode and are an ions migrate toward the anodes. And this statement would be our final answer for the direction of our cat ions and ann ions in our voltaic. So, so I hope that everything I reviewed was clear. If you have any questions, please leave them down below and I'll see everyone in the next practice video.