Write the cell notation for the reaction below. Show your work.
Cu+2(aq) + 2Ag(s) + 2Cl-(aq) -->
Cu(s) + 2AgCl(s)
Copper is reduced ( Cu^2+ + 2e^- --> Cu )
Silver is oxidized (Ag ---> Ag^1+ + 1e^- )
Cell Notation: Ag | Ag^1+ || Cu^2+ | Cu
Sure, here's the cell notation for the reaction you provided:
Cu+2(aq) | Cu(s) || Ag(s) | AgCl(s) | Cl-(aq)
The cell notation represents the electron transfer that occurs in an electrochemical cell during a redox reaction. In this case, the given reaction is not an electrochemical cell, but a redox reaction. Therefore, there won't be a cell notation for this reaction.
However, if you were looking for the half-reactions involved in this reaction, here is the breakdown:
The oxidation half-reaction involves the Cu+2(aq) species, which loses two electrons and gets reduced to Cu(s):
Cu+2(aq) → Cu(s) + 2e-
The reduction half-reaction involves the Ag(s) species and the Cl-(aq) species, where Ag(s) accepts two electrons and gets oxidized to AgCl(s):
2Ag(s) + 2Cl-(aq) + 2e- → 2AgCl(s)
These two half-reactions combined yield the overall chemical equation you provided.
To write the cell notation for the given reaction, we need to identify the half-reactions that occur at the anode (oxidation) and cathode (reduction).
Anode (Oxidation):
Cu+2(aq) --> Cu(s)
Cathode (Reduction):
2Ag+(aq) + 2e- --> 2Ag(s)
2Cl-(aq) --> Cl2(g) + 2e-
Now, let's write the cell notation by placing the anode reaction on the left and the cathode reaction on the right, separated by double vertical lines (||).
Cu+2(aq) | Cu(s) || Ag(s) | Ag+(aq) + Cl2(g) + 2e-
In cell notation, the anode species are shown on the left of the double vertical lines, and the cathode species are shown on the right. The single vertical line (|) represents the phase boundary between the electrolyte (aqueous) and the electrode (solid).
Please note that in this cell notation, we omitted the Cl-(aq) since it does not participate in the half-reaction at the cathode.