Purpose of Electrode
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Purpose of Electrode
What does the electrode do in a cell? Why do we sometimes add platinum as an electrode?
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
The electrode is a metallic conductor that is in contact with an electrolyte solution. This allows electrons to flow between the cathode and the anode so that the reaction can proceed. Platinum is sometimes used as an electrode because in reactions that only occur with aqueous species, there is no solid that can act as a conductor for electron transfer, so using platinum, which is an inert conductor, will allow electrons to flow without altering the reaction.
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
The electrodes are what allow for the movement of electrons from one side of a galvanic cell to the other. Platinum is used as an inert conductor (it doesn't affect the reaction) when there are no conducting solids already present in the reaction.
Re: Purpose of Electrode
Connie Chen 1E wrote:The electrode is a metallic conductor that is in contact with an electrolyte solution. This allows electrons to flow between the cathode and the anode so that the reaction can proceed. Platinum is sometimes used as an electrode because in reactions that only occur with aqueous species, there is no solid that can act as a conductor for electron transfer, so using platinum, which is an inert conductor, will allow electrons to flow without altering the reaction.
Is platinum the only inert conductor?
Re: Purpose of Electrode
Sorry one more question! How would you write the electrode in a cell diagram?
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
The electrode allows the movement of electrons from the anode to the cathode. Since is usually a metal which is conductive, it can allow the passage of electrons to allow the half reactions to occur.
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
The electrode allows the movement of electrons from the anode to the cathode. Since is usually a metal which is conductive, it can allow the passage of electrons to allow the half reactions to occur.
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
805312064 wrote:Sorry one more question! How would you write the electrode in a cell diagram?
For the cell diagrams, the electrodes go on the far left (electrode for the anode) and the far right (electrode for the cathode).
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
An electrode is a metallic conductor that is in the electrolyte solution. This allows electrons to flow between the two solutions. Platinum is really common for this. Graphite is also used, but not nearly as common as Platinum.
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Re: Purpose of Electrode
The electrode is a sold metal conductor that allows e- flow in the galvanic cell. We use Pt because it is an inert metal. Some redox half rxns don't have solid metals involved (X2+ + e- --> X+), so we must add Pt to allow e- transfer from the anode to the cathode
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