electrolytic cell (1 Viewer)

[ryanox]

wat is the oxidation and reduction reactions for a cell containing 2 carbon electrodes and copper sulfate electrolyte.
also wat r the reactions for a cell containing Pt as anode and carbon as cathode???

please

 

[ryanox]

please please

 

[tennille]

When you mean carbon, I'm assuming you mean inert graphite electrodes. The negative ions will move towards the anode, where oxidation occurs. The positive ions will move towards the cathode, where reduction occurs. From my memory of electrolysis, I think the reaction at the cathode would be Cu2+ + 2e- --> Cu (s). The reaction at the anode should be 2OH- --> 1/2O2 (g)- + H2O + 2e-.

 

[ryanox]

thanks

 

[onebytwo]

shouldnt the rxn at the anode be 2H20 ----> O2 + 4H+ + 4e- ??

 

[Riviet]

shouldnt the rxn at the anode be 2H20 ----> O2 + 4H+ + 4e- ??

It can't be because the oxidation reaction that you've given is much less likely to occur than Tennille's equation, which is much higher up (near the top) on the standard reduction table.