Chem 2 Ch 20 Electrochemistry Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms associated with electrochemistry, including definitions and important concepts from the provided lecture notes.

Electrochemistry

The study of the relationships between electricity and chemical reactions.

Oxidation Number

A value assigned to an element in a compound that represents the number of electrons lost or gained.

Oxidation

The process of losing electrons during a chemical reaction.

Reduction

The process of gaining electrons during a chemical reaction.

Oxidizing Agent

The substance that causes oxidation by accepting electrons.

Reducing Agent

The substance that causes reduction by donating electrons.

Voltaic Cell

A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy through spontaneous redox reactions.

Salt Bridge

A U-shaped tube that contains a salt/agar solution, used to maintain charge balance in a voltaic cell.

Electromotive Force (emf)

The potential difference between the anode and cathode in a cell, measured in volts.

Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE)

A reference electrode with a defined reduction potential of 0 V, used for measuring standard reduction potentials.

Nernst Equation

An equation that relates the cell potential under nonstandard conditions to standard conditions and concentration.

Faraday's Constant (F)

The amount of electric charge per mole of electrons, approximately 96,485 C/mol.

Corrosion

The oxidation process commonly known as rusting.

Electrolysis

A process where electrical energy is used to drive a nonspontaneous chemical reaction.

Standard Reduction Potential

The measured potential of an electrode under standard conditions, compared to the SHE.

Primary Cell

A non-rechargeable battery where the reaction is complete when it 'dies'.

Secondary Cell

A rechargeable battery that can reverse the chemical reaction upon recharging.

Concentration Cell

An electrochemical cell with the same substance at both electrodes but differing concentrations.