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Ch.20 - Electrochemistry
Chapter 20, Problem 112

The cell potential of this electrochemical cell depends on the gold concentration in the cathode half-cell. Pt(s) | H2(g, 1.0 atm) | H+(aq, 1.0 M) || Au3+(aq, ? M) | Au(s) What is the concentration of Au3+ in the solution if Ecell is 1.22 V?

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Identify the half-reactions for the electrochemical cell. The anode half-reaction involves hydrogen: \( \text{H}_2(g) \rightarrow 2\text{H}^+(aq) + 2e^- \). The cathode half-reaction involves gold: \( \text{Au}^{3+}(aq) + 3e^- \rightarrow \text{Au}(s) \).
Write the Nernst equation for the cell potential: \( E_{cell} = E^\circ_{cell} - \frac{RT}{nF} \ln Q \), where \( Q \) is the reaction quotient.
Determine the standard cell potential \( E^\circ_{cell} \) using standard reduction potentials: \( E^\circ_{cell} = E^\circ_{cathode} - E^\circ_{anode} \). Use standard reduction potentials for \( \text{Au}^{3+}/\text{Au} \) and \( \text{H}^+/\text{H}_2 \).
Calculate the reaction quotient \( Q \) using the Nernst equation: \( Q = \frac{1}{[\text{Au}^{3+}]} \) since the concentration of \( \text{H}^+ \) is 1.0 M and \( \text{H}_2 \) is at 1.0 atm.
Rearrange the Nernst equation to solve for \( [\text{Au}^{3+}] \): \( [\text{Au}^{3+}] = \exp\left(\frac{nF(E^\circ_{cell} - E_{cell})}{RT}\right) \). Substitute known values to find the concentration of \( \text{Au}^{3+} \).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Nernst Equation

The Nernst Equation relates the cell potential (E) of an electrochemical cell to the concentrations of the reactants and products. It is expressed as E = E° - (RT/nF) ln(Q), where E° is the standard cell potential, R is the gas constant, T is the temperature in Kelvin, n is the number of moles of electrons transferred, F is Faraday's constant, and Q is the reaction quotient. This equation allows us to calculate the cell potential under non-standard conditions, which is essential for determining the concentration of Au3+ in this scenario.
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Standard Electrode Potentials

Standard electrode potentials (E°) are measured under standard conditions (1 M concentration, 1 atm pressure, and 25°C) and provide a reference for predicting the direction of redox reactions. Each half-reaction has a specific E° value, which can be used to calculate the overall cell potential. In this question, knowing the standard reduction potential for the Au3+/Au couple is crucial for determining the concentration of Au3+ when the cell potential is given.
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Reaction Quotient (Q)

The reaction quotient (Q) is a measure of the relative concentrations of products and reactants at any point in a reaction. It is calculated using the formula Q = [products]/[reactants], where the concentrations are raised to the power of their coefficients in the balanced equation. In this electrochemical cell, Q will include the concentration of Au3+ and the concentration of H+ ions, and it is essential for applying the Nernst Equation to find the unknown concentration of Au3+ when the cell potential is specified.
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