June 02, 2020, 12:06:56 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting

### Topic: Nernst equation problem  (Read 4809 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

#### Rutherford

• Sr. Member
• Posts: 1868
• Mole Snacks: +60/-29
• Gender:
##### Nernst equation problem
« on: July 28, 2012, 11:30:47 AM »
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/students/highschool/olympiad/pastexams/CTP_005486
It is the 4th f).
I don't understand how they got the formula in the answer, so I tried a different approach, calculating the potential for every electrode separately and the to calculate the potential of the cell:
E(Cr3+)=-0.744+0.059/3*log(0.1)2=-0.783V
E(Ni2+)=-0.236+0.059/2*log(0.1)3=-0.324V
Then the cell potential is E(Ni2+)-E(Cr3+)=0.458V, but it is 0.488V in the answer. Where am I wrong?

#### AWK

• Retired Staff
• Sr. Member
• Posts: 7315
• Mole Snacks: +514/-86
• Gender:
##### Re: Nernst equation problem
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2012, 12:27:11 PM »
Check concentration that you used.
AWK

#### ramboacid

• Full Member
• Posts: 129
• Mole Snacks: +19/-3
• USNCO High Honors 2012, 2013
##### Re: Nernst equation problem
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2012, 01:29:23 PM »
The Nernst Equation is commonly written as $$E = E^o -\frac{RT}{nF}\ln{(Q)}$$. The 0.0257 you see is simply RT/F, when R = 8.314, T = 298 K, and F = 96485. The 6 is n, the number of moles of electrons involved in the reaction. Since so many calculations take place at 25 °C it isn't uncommon to see the constants simplified in that way.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison

#### Rutherford

• Sr. Member
• Posts: 1868
• Mole Snacks: +60/-29
• Gender:
##### Re: Nernst equation problem
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2012, 03:02:04 PM »
The Nernst Equation is commonly written as $$E = E^o -\frac{RT}{nF}\ln{(Q)}$$. The 0.0257 you see is simply RT/F, when R = 8.314, T = 298 K, and F = 96485. The 6 is n, the number of moles of electrons involved in the reaction. Since so many calculations take place at 25 °C it isn't uncommon to see the constants simplified in that way.
That doesn't bother me. I don't understand Q.
Check concentration that you used.
Yes, it is 0.01M, but even then I don't get the right result (got 0.41V).

#### Borek

• Mr. pH
• Administrator
• Deity Member
• Posts: 25777
• Mole Snacks: +1686/-400
• Gender:
• I am known to be occasionally wrong.
##### Re: Nernst equation problem
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2012, 03:35:29 PM »
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_quotient

Write overall reaction equation and you should get the answer as they listed it. Your approach - separate calculation of each half cell potential - is also correct, but your calculation of each half cell potential is not.
ChemBuddy chemical calculators - stoichiometry, pH, concentration, buffer preparation, titrations.info, pH-meter.info

#### Rutherford

• Sr. Member
• Posts: 1868
• Mole Snacks: +60/-29
• Gender:
##### Re: Nernst equation problem
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2012, 04:39:01 AM »
I shouldn't degree the concentrations in the half reactions. I solved it correctly now, and I also derived their equation. Thanks for the help.