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1 year ago

Explain what is meant by a fuel cell. provide a balanced equation to represent the reaction in any fuel cell of your choice.

Chemistry

1 answer:

fomenos1 year ago

4 0

Fuel cells:

These are galvanic cells in which the energy of combustion of fuels is directly converted into electrical energy. Commonly used fuels are hydrogen, methanol etc.

A fuel cell can be defined as an electrochemical cell that generates electrical energy from fuel via an electrochemical reaction. These cells require a continuous input of fuel and an oxidizing agent in order to sustain the reactions that generate the electricity.

Therefore, these cells can constantly generate electricity until the supply of fuel and oxygen is cut off.

The half cell reactions in hydrogen - oxygen fuel cell are given below.

Oxidation at anode:

Hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions are oxidized to water.

2H₂ (g) + 4OH⁻ (aq) → 4H₂O (l) + 4e⁻

Reduction at cathode:

Oxygen gas and water molecules are reduced to hydroxide ions.

O₂ (g) + 2H₂O (l) + 4e⁻ → 4OH⁻ (aq)

This electrochemical reaction, however, has a slow reaction rate. A catalyst, such as platinum or palladium, is used to solve this issue.

To increase the effective surface area, the catalyst is finely divided before being incorporated into the electrodes.

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Ethanol (C2H5OH) melts a - 144 oC and boils at 78 °C. The enthalpy of fusion of ethanol is 5.02 kj/mol, and its enthalpy of vapo

hammer [34]

Answer:

For a: The total heat required is 36621.5 J

For b: The total heat required is 58944.5 J

Explanation:

For a:

To calculate the heat required at different temperature, we use the equation:

$q=mc\Delta T$ .........(1)

where,

q = heat absorbed

m = mass of substance

$c$ = specific heat capacity of substance

$\Delta T$ = change in temperature

To calculate the amount of heat required at same temperature, we use the equation:

$q=m\times \Delta H$ ........(2)

where,

q = heat absorbed

m = mass of substance

$\Delta H$ = enthalpy of the reaction

The processes involved in the given problem are:

$1.)C_2H_5OH(l)(35^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(l)(78^oC)\\2.)C_2H_5OH(l)(78^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(g)(78^oC)$

For process 1:

We are given:

Change in temperature remains the same.

$m=42.0g\\c_l=2.3J/g.K\\T_2=78^oC\\T_1=35^oC\\\Delta T=[T_2-T_1]=[78-35]^oC=43^oC=43K$

Putting values in equation 1, we get:

$q_1=42.0g\times 2.3J/g.K\times 43K\\\\q_1=4153.8J$

For process 2:

We are given:

Conversion factor: 1 kJ = 1000 J

Molar mass of ethanol = 46 g/mol

$m=42.0g\\\Delta H_{vap}=38.56kJ/mol=\frac{35.56kJ}{1mol}\times (\frac{1000J}{1kJ})\times (\frac{1}{46g/mol})=773.04J/g$

Putting values in equation 2, we get:

$q_2=42.0g\times 773.04J/g\\\\q_2=32467.7J$

Total heat required = $[q_1+q_2]$

Total heat required = $[4153.8J+32467.7J]=36621.5J$

Hence, the total heat required is 36621.5 J

For b:

The processes involved in the given problem are:

$1.)C_2H_5OH(s)(-155^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(s)(-144^oC)\\2.)C_2H_5OH(s)(-144^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(l)(-144^oC)\\3.)C_2H_5OH(l)(-144^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(l)(78^oC)\\4.)C_2H_5OH(l)(78^oC)\rightarrow C_2H_5OH(g)(78^oC)$