The cell shown above is a concentration cell. Both cells contain a copper solution and have copper electrodes. The only driving force for this cell is the difference in the concentration of the copper solutions. The system will react to equalize the concentration of the ions in both cells.

Oxidation: Cu (s) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e-
Reduction: Cu 2+ (aq) + 2 e- → Cu (s)
Determine if the following statements are True or False.
1.At the cathode, the concentration of copper (II) ions is decreasing.
2.When the cathode dissolves, copper (II) ions are formed.
3.The cell that has the lower ion concentration acts as the anode.
4.The half-cell with the higher concentration of copper (II) ions must be the cathode.

the answers i have tried are F,F,T,T and F,F,T,F

What do you need help with?

The lower concn will be the increasing and the higher concn will be decreasing until both have the same concn. So you know the lower concn will be oxidized and the higher concn will be reduced.

1. True: At the cathode, the reduction of copper ions (Cu2+) to copper metal (Cu) is occurring. As the reaction proceeds, copper ions are being reduced and removed from the copper solution, causing a decrease in their concentration at the cathode.

2. False: When the cathode dissolves, copper ions are not formed. The reduction reaction at the cathode involves the Cu2+ ions already present in the copper solution being reduced to copper metal. No new copper ions are being formed.

3. True: In a concentration cell, the cell with the lower ion concentration acts as the anode. This is because the anode is where oxidation occurs, and in this case, copper metal (Cu) is being oxidized to Cu2+ ions. Since the cell with the lower ion concentration is losing Cu2+ ions, it acts as the anode.

4. False: The half-cell with the higher concentration of copper (II) ions must be the cathode. In a concentration cell, the cell with the higher ion concentration contains the species that is being reduced (in this case, Cu2+ ions are being reduced to copper metal), hence it acts as the cathode.

To determine the validity of each statement, we can break down the given reactions and analyze the behavior of copper ions and electrodes in a concentration cell:

1. At the cathode, the concentration of copper (II) ions is decreasing.
This statement is True. In a concentration cell, the reaction at the cathode involves the reduction of copper(II) ions to copper solid. The reduction reaction consumes copper(II) ions from the solution, resulting in a decrease in their concentration.

2. When the cathode dissolves, copper (II) ions are formed.
This statement is False. The cathode in a concentration cell is typically made of a metal that is being reduced (in this case, copper), not dissolved. As copper(II) ions are reduced to copper solid at the cathode, no copper(II) ions are formed.

3. The cell that has the lower ion concentration acts as the anode.
This statement is True. In a concentration cell, the anode is the electrode with the higher concentration of the species being oxidized (in this case, copper). Since the system seeks to equalize ion concentrations, the half-cell with the lower concentration of copper(II) ions will act as the anode.

4. The half-cell with the higher concentration of copper (II) ions must be the cathode.
This statement is False. In a concentration cell, the half-cell with the higher concentration of copper(II) ions is the anode, not the cathode. The anode is where oxidation occurs, releasing electrons, and the cathode is where reduction occurs, consuming electrons.

In summary:
1. True - The concentration of copper(II) ions decreases at the cathode.
2. False - Copper(II) ions are not formed when the cathode dissolves.
3. True - The half-cell with lower ion concentration acts as the anode.
4. False - The half-cell with higher copper(II) ion concentration is the anode, not the cathode.