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Cell Diagrams

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:09 pm
by Abigail Yap 2K
What is the purpose of inert electrodes in galvanic cells? (i.e. Pt)

Thanks!

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:18 pm
by Andy Nguyen 1A
These species that are added to the ends of the cell diagrams, like Pt, are inert electrodes that simply act as a way to transport the electrons.

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:17 pm
by Guangyu Li 2J
Inert species allow the electrons transportation. In addition, in the cell diagrams, inert species should always be in the outermost locations. It is not usually involved in the calculations.

Hope this helps!

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:27 pm
by TarynLane2J
Inert species such as platinum are usually used as electrodes when the species in the redox reaction are nonmetal and aren't able to transport electrodes. But if the species in the redox reaction is already a conductor such as copper or some other metal, then you don't need to add a platinum electrode.

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:14 pm
by Christina Bedrosian 1B
they are inert so that they will not change the reaction but will act as electron transporters to allow the redox reaction to occur

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:17 pm
by William Satyadi 2A
Inert electrodes like Pt are needed for some cells which don't have conducting ions. These electrodes allow for electron transfer without affecting the reaction.

Re: Cell Diagrams

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 5:17 pm
by Angel Gomez 1K
If you notice, the inert electrodes are usually denoted as solids by (s), as most metals are solid at STP, and they have conductive properties, which is why they're useful as inert electrodes. There are exceptions, though. For ex, mercury is a liquid at STP, so it'd be written as Hg(l) in the cell diagram.

Re: Cell Diagrams  [ENDORSED]

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:48 pm
by kaushalrao2H
electrodes have to be solid, and if none of the species in a reduction or oxidation reaction are solid (such as when two Fe species have different oxidation numbers but are both in aqueous form), then there must be an inert conductor to relay electrons.