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Chapter 19: Problem 27

Write the Nernst equation and explain all the terms.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The Nernst equation, \( E = E^0 - \frac{RT}{nF}lnQ \), explains the correlation between the cell potential and the concentration of products and reactants. Each term stands for specific quantities involved, such as electrode potential (E), standard potential (\( E^0 \)), gas constant (R), temperature (T), number of electrons in the reaction (n), Faraday's constant (F), and the reaction quotient (Q).

Step by step solution

01

Write Nernst Equation

The Nernst equation is given by: \( E = E^0 - \frac{RT}{nF}lnQ \). Here E is the electrode potential, \( E^0 \) is standard potential, R is the gas constant, T is the temperature, n is number of electrons participating in the reaction, F is Faraday's constant, and Q is the reaction quotient.
02

Define Electrode Potential (E)

The Electrode Potential (E) is the voltage (electric potential) of a cell when it is not operating.
03

Define Standard Potential (\(E^0\))

\(E^0\), the standard potential, is the potential of the cell under standard conditions, which is its maximal possible voltage.
04

Define Gas constant (R)

R is the gas constant, which equals \(8.314 Joule / Mol \cdot K\).
05

Define Temperature (T)

T is the temperature, measured in Kelvins (K). It should be in absolute temperature (Kelvin) in the formula.
06

Define Number of electrons (n)

n is the number of electrons exchanged in the electrochemical reaction involved.
07

Define Faraday's Constant (F)

F is the Faraday constant, equal to the charge of one mole of electrons (\( 96485 C / mol \)).
08

Define Reaction Quotient (Q)

Q is the reaction quotient, a ratio that provides a measure of the relative amounts of the products and reactants present in a reaction at a specific moment.

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