Electrochemistry Batteries to Teapots

Jmjm any of the things we deal with in real life are related either directly or WWW indirectly to electrochemical reactions. Think of all the things around you that contain batteries — flashlights, watches, automobiles, calculators, PDAs, pacemakers, cell phones, toys, garage door openers, and so on. 

In this chapter, 1 explain redox reactions, go through the balancing of this type of equation, and then show you some applications of redox reactions in an area of chemistry called electrochemistry. 

Redox reactions — reactions In which there s a simultaneous transfer of electrons from one chemical species to another — are really composed of two different reactions oxidation (a loss of electrons) and reduction (a gain of electrons). These reactions are coupled, as the electrons that are lost in the oxidation reaction are the same electrons that are gained in the reduction reaction. In fact, these two reactions (reduction and oxidation) are commonly called half-reactions, because it takes these two halves to make a whole reaction, and the overall reaction is called a redox (reduction/ojddation) reaction. In Chapter 8,1 describe a redox reaction that occurs between zinc metal and the cupric ( Cu ) ion. The zinc metal loses electrons and the cupric ion gains them. 

The loss of electrons The gain of oxygen The loss of hydrogen 

Because I typically deal with electrochemical cells, 1 normally use the definition that describes the loss of the electrons. The other definitions are useful in processes such as combustion and photosynthesis. 

---