In: Chemistry
Find the standard reduction potentials (voltages) expected for the following half reactions
Cu+2 + 2e- -------------> Cu
Pb+2 + 2 e- ------------> Pb
Zn+2 + 2 e- -------------> Zn
Fe+3 + e- ---------------> Fe+2
Br2 + 2e- --------------> 2Br-
Calculate expected voltages for the electrochemical cells made by connecting the copper(II) half reaction to each of the others in the list above. Note that one of the listed reductions must be reversed to become an oxidation for anything tooccur and that when a half rxn is reversed, the sign of its potential is reversed. For the voltage to be a positive number ( indicating a spontaneous reaction), Which half rxn will be the cathode in each pairing?
an example: Ag+ + e- -----------> Ag E0 = +.79v
Cl2 + 2e- ------------> 2Cl- E0 = + 1.36v
For a Ecell >0, silver half rxn must be reversed to become an oxidation: Ag -----------> Ag+ + e- E0 = -.79
overall rxn is 2 Ag + Cl2 -------------> 2 Ag+ + 2Cl- Ecell = -.79 + 1.36 = + .57v (Cl2 electrode is cathode)
(Note that you don't have to balance the reaction to figure out the Ecell : tabulated E0 reduction tables are for 1 mol of electrons transferred for all the half reactions, so you don't double the E0 number for silver to use it with the E0 for Cl2.)