a. What is a fuel cell?
Fuel cells are a type of galvanic cell or a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 4
a. What is a fuel cell?
Fuel cells are a type of galvanic cell or a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. They require a constant supply of r... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:a. What is a fuel cell?
Fuel cells are a type of galvanic cell or a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
What is a fuel cell?
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Answer
Fuel cells are a type of galvanic cell or a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. They require a constant supply of reactants to be added.
Step 2
Name the species that crosses the membrane to enable fuel cell operation
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Answer
The species that crosses the membrane is the hydrogen ion (H+).
Step 3
Indicate the direction of flow of the species named in part b.i.
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Answer
The direction of flow of the hydrogen ion is from the anode to the cathode.
Step 4
Write the equation for the reaction that occurs at the anode of an ethanol fuel cell
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Answer
The reaction at the anode is:
[ C_2H_5OH + 3O_2 \rightarrow 2CO_2 + 12H^+ + 12e^- ]
Step 5
How much electrical energy could be produced from 1.0 g of ethanol?
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Answer
To find the electrical energy produced, we first calculate the moles of ethanol in 1.0 g:
[ \text{Molar mass of ethanol (C}_2H_5OH) = 46.07 \ g/mol ]
[ \text{Moles of ethanol} = \frac{1.0 \ g}{46.07 \ g/mol} \approx 0.0217 \ mol ]
Since the energy produced is given as 30 kJ per mole of ethanol:
[ \text{Energy} = 0.0217 \ mol \times 30 \ kJ/mol \approx 0.651 \ kJ = 651 \ J ]
