Electrochemistry :an Introduction

Electrochemistry is

the branch of chemistry deals with the chemical changes

produced by electricity and the production of electricity by chemical changes.

Electricity is the movement of electrons and is measured in Amps. The

substances which allow an electric current to flow through them are called
electrical conductors; while those which do not allow any electric current to
flow through them are called non-conductors(insulators).
Electrical conductors are of two types:
(A)

Metallic conductors or electronic conductors: is an object or type of

material that allow the flow of electrical conductors in one or more directions. A metal
wire is a common electrical conductor. In general, metals belong to this category.

The metals remain unchanged during the flow of current except warming.
Here transfer of electric current is due to transfer of free electrons of outer
shells without any transfer of matter. Example: Cu, Ag, Al,Au,Cr,Co etc. In
metals, the mobile charged particles are electrons. Positive charges may also be
mobile, such as the cationic electrolytes of a battery, or the mobile protons of the
proton conductors of a fuel cell.Graphite also conducts electricity due to

presence of free

e in its hexagonal sheet like structure.

(B) Electrolytic conductors:

Also called electrolytic conductor. a conducting

medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in

the form of ions. any substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in a
suitable medium or melted and thus forms a conductor of electricity The substances

which in fused state or in aqueous solution allow the electric current to flow
accompanied by chemical decomposition are called electrolytes. On the
other hand substances which in fused state or in aqueous solution do not
allow the electric current to flow are called non-electrolytes. Usually,
electrovalent compounds are good electrolytes and covalent compounds are
non-electrolytes (Glycerol, glucose etc.).The metal rod or foil dipped in
electrolyte, through which the electric current is conveyed, is called electrode.
The electrode on which negative ions (anions) arrive are called positive

electrode or anode. Similarly the electrode on which positive ions (cations)

arrive are called negative electrode or cathode.

Major differences between metallic and electrolytic

conduction

Metallic conduction

Electrolytic conduction

1. Conduction is due to movement of

1. Conduction is due to movement of

electrons

ions(Flow of electricity takes place by the

decomposition of substance)

2. No chemical change takes place(flow of

electricity

takes

place

without

the 2. Ions get oxidized or reduced at

decomposition of substance

electrodes

3. No transfer of matter Occurs

3. Transfer of Matter occurs in the form of

ions

4. Resistance

Temperature(conduction

decreases with increase of temperature)

4. Resistance

(conduction

5-Ohm,s law is followed

increases with increase of temperature)

6- Faradays law is not followed

5-Ohm,s law is followed

6. Faradays law is followed

Classification of electrolytes
Examples of strong and weak electrolytes are given below:
Strong Electrolytes strong acids

HCl, HBr, HI, HNO3, HClO3, HClO4,

and H2SO4

strong bases

NaOH, KOH, LiOH, Ba(OH)2, and

Ca(OH)2

salts

NaCl, KBr, MgCl2, and many, many

more

Weak Electrolytes

weak acids

HF, HC2H3O2 (acetic acid), H2CO3

(carbonic acid), H3PO4 (phosphoric
acid), and many more

weak bases

NH3 (ammonia), C5H5N (pyridine),

and several more, all containing "N

Semiconductor is a material that has a resistivity value between that of a

conductor and an insulator. The conductivity of a semiconductor material can
be varied under an external electrical field. Devices made from semiconductor
materials are the foundation of modern electronics, including radio,
computers, telephones, and many other devices. Semiconductor devices
include the transistor, many kinds of diodes including the light-emitting diode,
the silicon controlled rectifier, and digital and analog integrated circuits. Solar
photovoltaic panels are large semiconductor devices that directly convert light
energy into electrical energy. In a metallic conductor, current is carried by the
flow of electrons. In semiconductors, current can be carried either by the flow
of electrons or by the flow of positively-charged "holes" in the electron
structure of the material. There are many examples of semiconductors such
as Si,Ge,SnO2,TiO2,ZnO,Cds,CdSe, and many more
Electrical insulator is a material whose internal electric charges do not flow
freely, and therefore make it nearly impossible to conduct an electric current
under the influence of an electric field. This contrasts with other materials,

semiconductors and conductors, which conduct electric current more easily.

The property that distinguishes an insulator is its resistivity; insulators have
higher resistivity than semiconductors or conductors. The common examples
of insulators are paper and mica glass.

Comparison between conductor, insulator and semiconductor by

Band Gap Energy

Difference between conductor, insulator and semiconductor

Conductor

Insulator

Semiconductor

The conductivity of

The conductivity of

The conductivity of

conductor is very high

insulator is very low

semiconductor is
moderate

It has very low resistivity It has very high resistivity It has moderate resistivity.
It has no forbidden gap

Conductor has positive

It has large forbidden

It has small forbidden

gap

gap.

Insulator has negative

Semiconductor has

temperature coefficient of temperature coefficient of negative temperature

resistance

resistance

coefficient of resistance

In conductor, both the

In insulator, effect of

In semiconductor, effect

effect of resistance and

resistance is decreases

of resistance is decreases

temperature are

and effect of temperature and effect of temperature

increases

is increases

is increases.

There is large number of There is small number of There is moderate

electrons available for

electrons available for

number of electrons

conduction

conduction.

available for conduction.

Some practical units used in electrochemistry:

The units obtained in electrochemistry are derived from System
International(SI).The important units are listed as following:
Joule(J): It is the unit of energy and may defined as It is equal to the
energy transferred (or work done) to an object when a force of one newton
acts on that object in the direction of its motion through a distance of one
meter

(1

newton

metre

or

Nm)

Coulomb(C): It is the unit of electrical charge(electricity )and may be defined

as, t is the charge (symbol: Q or q) transported by a constant current of one ampere
in one second:

it is also the amount of excess charge on a capacitor of one farad charged to a

potential difference of one volt

1 Faraday (F) = 96500 Coulomb

e-=

electro charge=F

Faraday (F): is defined as the charge on one mole of electrons

Ampere(A or amp): It is the unit of electrical current ( measuring the rate of
flow of electrons) and it defined as" The ampere is equivalent to one coulomb,
i.e.,,
ampere =(charge/time)
1A= 1 C /1

Ohm (): It is the unit of electrical resistance and it defined as, an electrical
resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of
1 volt, applied to these points, produces in the conductor a current of 1 ampere, the
conductor not being the seat of any electromotive force

Volt(V): It is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference(voltage), and

electromotive force electrical(EMF) potential and may be defined as, One volt is
defined as the difference in electric potential between two points of a conducting wire
when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those
points. It is also equal to the potential difference between two parallel, infinite planes
spaced 1 meter apart that create an electric field of 1 newton per coulomb.
Additionally, it is the potential difference between two points that will impart one joule
of energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it. It can be expressed in terms
of SI base units (m,kg, s, and A) as .

It can also be expressed as amperes times ohms (current times resistance,

Ohm<s law), watts per ampere (power per unit current, Joule law), or joules
per coulomb (energy per unit charge) which is also equivalent to electron volts
per elementary charge:

(v)

Watt(W): It is the unit of electric power and may be defined as, The rate

of supply of electric power when one joule of electrical energy is made

available per second.

Also it may be defined as, one watt is the rate at which work is done when
one ampere (A) of current flows through an electrical potential difference of
one volt (V).

Two additional unit conversions for watt can be found using the above
equation and Ohm,s law.

Electrode: one of two poles of the cell and it is defined as is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a
nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte, a vacuum or air.

Anode(-): is an electrode through which conventional current flows into a polarized electrical device .This, it an
electrode where oxidation occur.
Cathode(+): is the electrode from which a conventional current leaves a polarized electrical device. Thus, it a
electrode where reduction occur.
Half reaction: the ox or red reaction measured against SHE(Standard Hydrogen electrode) V=0.0.