Tutorial Date :

ELECTROCHEMISTRY – ESC, Feasibility & Nernst Equation

1. Predict whether the following reactions would occur spontaneously in

aqueous solution at 25°C. Assume that the initial concentrations of the
dissolved species are all at 1.0 M.

(a) Ca (s) + Cd2+ (aq)  Ca2+ (aq) + Cd (s)

(b) 2Br- (aq) + Sn2+ (aq)  Br2 (l) + Sn (s)
(c) 2Ag (s) + Ni2+ (aq)  2Ag+ (aq) + Ni (s)
(d) Cu+ (aq) + Fe3+ (aq)  Cu2+ (aq) + Fe2+ (aq)

2. Which species in each pair is a better oxidizing agent under standard state
conditions.

(a) Br2 or Au3+

(b) H+ or Ag+
(c) Cd2+ or Cr3+

3. Which species in each pair is a better reducing agent under standard state
conditions.

(a) Na or Li
(b) H2 or I-
(c) Fe2+ or Ag
(d) Br- or Co2+

4. The standard electrode potentials are given below :

Ni2+ (aq) + 2e-  Ni (s) E Ø = -0.250 V

Sn2+ (aq) + 2e-  Sn (s) E Ø = -0.136 V

(a) Write an equation for the spontaneous reaction.

(b) Write the cell notation.
(c) Calculate the E Øcell.
(d) Calculate the E cell at 25°C if the [Ni2+] = 0.01 M and [Sn2+] = 1.0 M.
(e) What could be done to obtain a higher E cell value than that of (d)?

5. Given a cell reaction :

Fe3+ (aq) + e- ↔ Fe2+ (aq) E Ø = +0.77 V

I2 (s) + 2e- ↔ 2I- (aq) E Ø = +0.54 V

Write the overall cell reaction and hence calculate the cell potential when
[Fe2+] = [I-] = 0.5 M and [Fe3+] = 0.8 M

6. For a voltaic cell, Cd (s)/Cd2+ (aq)//Cu2+ (aq)/Cu (s),

Determine : i) the standard cell potential at 25°C

ii) the E Øcell at 25°C if [Cd2+] = 1.0 M [Cu2+] = 0.5 M
[E ØCd2+/Cd = -0.40 V, E Ø Cu/Cu2+ = 0.34 V]