Name:

Chemistry 120B

Exam #5 5/8/09

Exam # B___

Instructions:
o Your cell phone must be off and all other materials must be put away
before beginning the exam.
o You are only allowed to use a SINGLE LINE NON-PROGRAMMABLE
CALCULATOR.
o Do not start the exam until you are told to do so.
o Print your name on the top of every page. One point will be removed
from your total score for every page on which you do not write your name.
o Read each problem carefully before you begin.
o Make sure you answer what the problem is asking.
o Answer each problem clearly and legibly.
o Check your work for errors.

Always ask yourself Does this answer make sense?.
o Partial credit will be awarded for partial answers so always try!
o If there is any evidence of cheating (either during the exam or while it is
being graded) you will receive a zero for the exam and you will be
reported to the Dean of Students in the Office of Judicial Affairs.

This exam consists of this cover page, and 7 pages of problems. Make sure that all
8 pages are present.

Sign your name below and include the last four digits of your CWID (student ID
number). Failure to include the last four digits of your CWID will result in an automatic
score of zero.
Your signature indicates that you have read and understand these instructions.

Signature

Last 4 digits of CWID

Question # Points possible Your points

1
18
2
22
3
23
4
19
5
18

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 1 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
1) Consider the unbalanced reaction:

(18 points total)

Cl- (aq) + NO2- (aq)  Cl2 (s) + NO (g)

a) Identify the oxidation state of all atoms present in each compound.
Cl in Cl- __-1__

Cl in Cl2 __0__

N in NO2- __+3__

N in NO __+2__

O in NO2- __-2__

O in NO __-2__

(6 points)

b) Which element is the reducing agent? Which element is the oxidizing agent?
Explain. (eg. define oxidizing and reducing agent)
(4 points)
Reducing agent: __Cl in Cl-____

Oxidizing agent: ___N in NO2-___

The oxidizing agent is reduced, it gains electrons.

The reducing agent is oxidized, it loses electrons.
c) Using the half reaction method, balance the reaction above under basic conditions.
Include the net balanced reaction.
(8 points)
Cl-  Cl2
2 Cl-  Cl2
2 Cl-  Cl2 + 2 eNO2-  NO
NO2-  NO + H2O
2 H+ + NO2-  NO + H2O
2 OH + 2 H+ + NO2-  NO + H2O + 2 OH2 H2O + NO2-  NO + H2O + 2 OHH2O + NO2-  NO + 2 OH1 e- + H2O + NO2-  NO + 2 OH-

Cl
H
O
Charge

2 Cl-  Cl2 + 2 e2*(1 e + H2O + NO2-  NO + 2 OH-)

2 e- + 2 Cl- + 2 H2O + 2 NO2-  Cl2 + 2 NO + 4 OH- + 2 e2 Cl- + 2 H2O + 2 NO2-  Cl2 + 2 NO + 4 OHReactant
Product
2
2
4
4
6
6
-4
-4

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 2 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
2) A spontaneous voltaic cell consists of an Mg electrode in a 1.0 M Mg(NO3)2 solution
and a Al electrode in a 1.0 M Al(NO3)3 solution.
(22 points total)
a) Using the standard reduction potentials and the half cells above:
1) Write the balanced net ionic equation for the spontaneous cell
Al3+ (aq) + 3 e-  Al (s)
Mg2+ (aq) + 2 e-  Mg (s)

(8 points)

Ereduced = -1.66 V
Ereduced = -2.37 V

Mg must be the anode in order for this to be a spontaneous reaction (need Ecell > 0
so if Mg is oxidized to Mg2+ Ecell = +2.37 V + -1.66 V = +0.71 V). To balance this the
Al3+ reaction is multiplied by 2 and the Mg reaction is multiplied by 3 (electrons
must cancel out on both sides).
3 Mg(s) + 2 Al3+  2 Al (s) + 3 Mg2+ (aq)
2) Write the line notation for this cell
Line notation always goes from anode to cathode.
Mg (s) | Mg2+ (aq) || Al3+ (aq) | Al (s)
b) Below is a diagram of a voltaic cell. The arrows indicate the direction of the electron
flow (from the left cell to the right cell).
(9 points)
Using your reaction above, identify the following components on the diagram below:

KCl salt
bridge

1) cathode (which electrode is it AND

what is the compound)
2) anode (which electrode is it AND
what is the compound)

Anode
Mg (s)

3) solutions surrounding the anode and

cathode

Cl-

Cathode
Al (s)

K+

4) KCl salt bridge

5) the direction the K+ cations and Clanions in the salt bridge are moving

Mg2+

Al3+

c) Given the voltaic cell above, the anode electrode will lose mass and the cathode
electrode will gain mass. After a given amount of time, which electrode will have the
largest change in mass? Explain.
(5 points)

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 3 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
Referring back to the balanced equation 3 moles of Mg (s) are lost for every 2
mol Al (s) gained. Further, because Mg and Al have comparable molecular weights,
the mass of the Mg anode will have a larger change in mass than the Al cathode.

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 4 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
3) Consider the non-spontaneous reaction:

(23 points total)

Cd (s) + Fe2+ (aq)  Cd2+ (aq) + Fe (s)

where:
Cd2+ (aq) + 2 e-  Cd (s)
Fe2+ (aq) + 2 e-  Fe (s)

E = -0.40 V
E = -0.45 V

a) How is spontaneity defined with respect to Ecell, free energy and the equilibrium
constant?
(6 points)
Ecell > 0; Grxn < 0; K > 1
b) Identify three ways this non-spontaneous reaction can become spontaneous? Explain.
(6 points)
This reaction can be spontaneous by 1) decreasing the concentration of Cd2+ (aq), 2)
increasing the concentration of Fe2+ (these are both due to Le Chateliers Principle)
or 3) attaching it to an external power source (eg. a battery) because this supplies
the voltage to make the reaction happen.
c) Given the reaction above at 25C and [Fe2+] = 0.13 M, for what concentrations of
Cd2+ will this reaction be spontaneous? Be specific [Cd2+] > ??? will be spontaneous OR
[Cd2+] < ??? will be spontaneous.
(11 points)
0.0592
log Q
n
E o = 0.45 + 0.40 = 0.05V
E = Eo

n=2
[Cd 2 + ]
Q=
[ Fe 2 + ]
E = 0.05V

0.0592
[Cd 2 + ]
log
2
[ Fe 2 + ]

0.0592
[Cd 2 + ]
log
2
[0.13M ]
For this reaction to be spontaneous, E > 0
E = 0.05V

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 5 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.

E>0
E = 0.05V
0.05V

0.0592
[Cd 2 + ]
log
2
[0.13M ]

0.0592
[Cd 2 + ]
log
>0
2
[0.13M ]

0.0592
[Cd 2 + ]
log
> 0.05
2
[0.13M ]

log

[Cd 2 + ]
2

< 0.05

[0.13M ]
0.0592

0.05

[Cd 2 + ]
< 10 0.0592
[0.13M ]
2+

[Cd ] < [0.13M ]10

2
0.05

0.0592

[Cd 2 + ] < 2.7 x10 3 M

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 6 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
4) An aqueous solution of 1.0 M CoF2 is electrolyzed in water.

(19 points total)

Reduction of H2O:
Oxidation of H2O:

Co2+ (aq) + 2 e-  Co (s)

F2 (g) + 2 e-  2 F- (aq)

Ereduced = -0.28 V
Ereduced = 2.87 V

2 H2O (l) + 2 e-  H2 (g) + 2 OH- (aq)

Ereduced = -0.83 V

2 H2O (l)  O2 (g) + 4 H+ (aq) + 4 e-

Eoxidized = -1.23 V

a) Given the above information, which reaction is taking place at the cathode? Which
reaction is taking place at the anode? What is being produced at the cathode? What is
being produced at the anode? Be specific.
(8 points)
Cathode reaction:

We need to compare which reaction (Co2+ + 2 e-  Co vs 2 H2O + 2 e-  H2 + 2 OH) has the LARGER reduction potential. We are only comparing Co2+ because that is
the reactant that is present in this reaction not Co (s). Co2+ has the larger
reduction potential therefore it is reduced at the cathode.
Co2+ (aq) + 2 e-  Co (s)

Ereduced = -0.28 V

Anode reaction:

We need to compare which reaction (2 F-  F2 + 2 e- vs 2 H2O  O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e-)

has the LARGER oxidation potential. We are only comparing F- because that is the
reactant that is present in this reaction not F2 (g). H2O has the larger oxidation
potential therefore it is oxidized at the anode.
2 H2O (l)  O2 (g) + 4 H+ (aq) + 4 e-

Eoxidized = -1.23 V

b) At 1.0 atm and 25C, what volume of which gas is produced at which electrode after
3.5 A current flows for 15 min.?
(11 points)

The ONLY gas that is produced in this reaction is O2 at the anode. To calculate the
volume we need the number of moles (with the ideal gas law). We can use the
stoichiometry of the mol e- to mol O2. mol e- is calculated from It = nF

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 7 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
It = nF
60 sec
(3.5 A)(15 min)

min

n=
96485C / mol e
n = 0.0326 mol e
4mol e = 1molO2
1molO2

molO2 = 0.0326 mol e

4mol e
molO2 = 0.00816 molO2
PV = nRT
V =

nRT (0.00816 molO2 )(0.08206 L atm / mol K )(298 K )

=
= 0.20 L
P
1atm

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 8 of 9

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Name:
Watch your units and significant figures.
5) Consider the following half reactions of a car battery (a lead storage battery):
(18 points total)
PbO2 (s) + HSO4- (aq) + 3 H+ (aq) + 2 e-  PbSO4 (s) + 2 H2O (l)
Ereduced = 1.69 V

(R1)

PbSO4 (s) + H+ (aq) + 2 e-  Pb (s) + HSO4- (aq)

(R2)

Ereduced = -0.36 V
a) When a car battery dies, the Pb (s) and PbO2 (s) are converted to PbSO4 (s) stopping
the flow of electrons.
(6 points)
1) Why is a car battery rechargeable?

Car batteries are rechargeable because when current is applied from an external
source, the reactions occur in reverse, converting PbSO4 (s) back to Pb (s) and PbO2
(s) recharging the battery.
2) Why arent all batteries rechargeable?

All batteries are not rechargeable because when current is applied from an external
power source, different reactions take place that do not return the original anode
and cathode.
b) Calculate the standard cell potential (E) and the equilibrium constant (K) of the
spontaneous lead storage battery.
(8 points)
E o cell = E o reduced + E o oxidized
E o cell = 1.69V + 0.36V = 2.05V
0.0592
log K
n

E o cell =
K = 10

nE o cell
0.0592

( 2 )( 2.05 )

= 10

0.0592

= 1.8 x1069

c) How does the cell potential (E) of the car battery change with increasing pH?
Explain.
(4 points)

The balanced reaction of the cell battery is:

PbO2 (s) + 2 H+ (aq) + Pb (s) + 2 HSO4- (aq)
 2 PbSO4 (s) + 2 H2O (l)
+
If pH is increased, the concentration of H will decrease. If the concentration of H+
decreases the reaction will shift to the left and decrease the spontaneity of the
reaction. This will create a decrease in the cell potential E.

Hudson

Chemistry 120B Exam #5B

pg. 9 of 9