Enter the balanced chemical equation including states that describes the electrochemical cell that is represented by the cell notation as shown.
Pt(s) | F-(aq) | F2(g) || Cl-(aq), AuCl4-(aq) | Au(s)
I'm having trouble balancing this...
I get AuCl4- + 2F- --> Au + 4Cl- + F2
...but the charges don't cancel out on both sides. The left side has 3- and the right side has 4-. I've been trying to change the numbers around but then I upset the balanced atoms. Help?
If you had written them as half cells you would have figured out what to do.
2F^- ==> F2 + 2e
AuCl4^- + 3e ==> Au + 4Cl^-
===========================
Now multiply the fluoride equation by 3 and the Au equation by 2 (to obtain 6e lost and 6e gained) and it will balance.
Thanks a lot! I forgot you had to write the half reactions first.
HI i WAS WONDERING, which
one was the anode?
@Raffi
The Anode is always written first in this notation.
To balance the given electrochemical cell using cell notation, you need to ensure that the charges and the amounts of atoms are balanced on both sides of the equation.
First, let's break down the cell notation and understand its components:
Anode: Pt(s) | F-(aq) | F2(g)
Cathode: Cl-(aq), AuCl4-(aq) | Au(s)
In an electrochemical cell, the anode is where oxidation occurs, and the cathode is where reduction occurs. In this case, F2 is being reduced (gaining electrons) at the anode, while AuCl4- is being oxidized (losing electrons) at the cathode.
Now let's balance the equation step by step:
1. Start by writing the unbalanced equation:
F2 + AuCl4- → Au + Cl- + F-
2. Balance the elements other than hydrogen and oxygen. In this case, F and Cl are the only elements to balance:
F2 + AuCl4- → Au + Cl- + F-
3. Next, balance the charges on both sides. Notice that the charge on the left side is negative (-1 from F-), while the charge on the right side is neutral (0 from Au). To balance the charges, we need to consider the number of electrons transferred:
F2 + AuCl4- + e- → Au + Cl- + F-
4. Finally, balance the number of electrons transferred by ensuring the charges and the atoms are balanced:
2F2 + 2AuCl4- + 6e- → 2Au + 8Cl- + 4F-
This balanced equation satisfies the conservation of mass and charge on both the anode and the cathode sides of the electrochemical cell.
The balanced chemical equation for the given electrochemical cell is:
2F2 + 2AuCl4- + 6e- → 2Au + 8Cl- + 4F-