Answer:
D. Ni²⁺
Explanation:
We know at once that the answer cannot be A or C, because Ni and Cu are already in their lowest oxidation states.
The correct answer must be either B or D.
An electrolytic cell is the opposite of a galvanic cell. In the former, the reaction proceeds spontaneously. In the latter, you must force the reaction to occur.
One strategy to solve this problem is:
- Look up the standard reduction potentials for the half reaction·
- Figure out the spontaneous direction.
- Write the equation in the reverse direction.
1. Standard reduction potentials
E°/V
Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ ⟶ Cu; 0.3419
Ni²⁺ + 2e⁻ ⟶ Ni; -0.257
2. Galvanic Cell
We reverse the direction of the more negative half cell and add.
<u>E°/V
</u>
Ni ⟶ Ni²⁺ + 2e⁻; 0.257
<u>Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ ⟶ Cu; </u> 0.3419
Ni + Cu²⁺ ⟶ Cu + Ni²⁺; 0.599
This is the spontaneous direction.
Cu²⁺ is reduced to Cu.
3. Electrochemical cell
<u>E°/V</u>
Ni²⁺ + 2e⁻ ⟶ Ni; -0.257
<u>Cu ⟶ Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻; </u> <u>-0.3419</u>
Cu + Ni²⁺ ⟶ Ni + Cu²⁺; -0.599
This is the non-spontaneous direction.
Ni²⁺ is reduced to Ni in the electrolytic cell.
If the graph has no trend which means almost constant, it indicates that the dependent variables will not change when the independent variables change.
Gravitational force -an attractive force that exists between all objects with mass; an object with mass attracts another object with mass; the magnitude of the force is directly proportional to the masses of the two objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two objects.
