Skip to main content
Ch.20 - Electrochemistry
Chapter 20, Problem 75b

Heart pacemakers are often powered by lithium–silver chromate 'button' batteries. The overall cell reaction is 2 Li1s2 + Ag2CrO41s2 ¡ Li2CrO41s2 + 2 Ag1s2 (b) Choose the two half-reactions from Appendix E that most closely approximate the reactions that occur in the battery. What standard emf would be generated by a voltaic cell based on these half-reactions?

Verified Solution

Video duration:
7m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Half-Reactions

Half-reactions represent the individual oxidation and reduction processes occurring in an electrochemical cell. In a voltaic cell, one half-reaction involves the loss of electrons (oxidation), while the other involves the gain of electrons (reduction). Understanding these half-reactions is crucial for determining the overall cell reaction and calculating the standard electromotive force (emf).
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:49
First-Order Half-Life

Standard Electrode Potential

The standard electrode potential (E°) is a measure of the tendency of a chemical species to be reduced, measured under standard conditions. Each half-reaction has a specific E° value, which can be found in electrochemical series tables. The standard emf of a voltaic cell can be calculated by subtracting the E° of the oxidation half-reaction from that of the reduction half-reaction.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:27
Standard Cell Potential

Voltaic Cell

A voltaic cell, also known as a galvanic cell, converts chemical energy into electrical energy through spontaneous redox reactions. It consists of two electrodes (anode and cathode) immersed in electrolyte solutions. The flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode generates an electric current, and the cell's emf indicates its voltage output, which is essential for applications like powering pacemakers.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:21
The Electrolytic Cell
Related Practice
Textbook Question

During a period of discharge of a lead–acid battery, 402 g of Pb from the anode is converted into PbSO41s2. (a) What mass of PbO21s2 is reduced at the cathode during this same period?

652
views
Textbook Question

During the discharge of an alkaline battery, 4.50 g of Zn is consumed at the anode of the battery. (b) How many coulombs of electrical charge are transferred from Zn to MnO2?

775
views
Textbook Question

Heart pacemakers are often powered by lithium–silver chromate 'button' batteries. The overall cell reaction is 2 Li1s2 + Ag2CrO41s2 ¡ Li2CrO41s2 + 2 Ag1s2 (a) Lithium metal is the reactant at one of the electrodes of the battery. Is it the anode or the cathode?

438
views
Textbook Question

In some applications nickel–cadmium batteries have been replaced by nickel–zinc batteries. The overall cell reaction for this relatively new battery is: 2 H2O1l2 + 2 NiO1OH21s2 + Zn1s2 ¡ 2 Ni1OH221s2 + Zn1OH221s2 (b)What is the anode half-reaction?

622
views
Textbook Question

In some applications nickel–cadmium batteries have been replaced by nickel–zinc batteries. The overall cell reaction for this relatively new battery is: 2 H2O1l2 + 2 NiO1OH21s2 + Zn1s2 ¡ 2 Ni1OH221s2 + Zn1OH221s2 (d) Would you expect the specific energy density of a nickel–zinc battery to be higher or lower than that of a nickel–cadmium battery?

596
views
Textbook Question

Li-ion batteries used in automobiles typically use a LiMn2O4 cathode in place of the LiCoO2 cathode found in most Li-ion batteries. (a) Calculate the mass percent lithium in each electrode material.

712
views