In the electrolysis of an acid solution,oxygen can be produced by the following half-reaction:
2H₂O(l) → O₂(g) + 4H⁺(aq) + 4e^-
How many moles of O₂ can be produced from a solution that was electrolyzed for 6.50 h using a current of 5.40 A?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The amount of oxygen produced can be calculated using Faraday's laws of electrolysis. First, calculate the total charge passed through the solution using the formula $Q = I \times t$, where $I$ is the current in amperes and $t$ is the time in seconds. Convert 6.50 hours to seconds: $6.50 \, \text{hours} \times 3600 \, \text{seconds/hour} = 23400 \, \text{seconds}$. Then, $Q = 5.40 \, \text{A} \times 23400 \, \text{s} = 126360 \, \text{C}$.The number of moles of electrons ($n_e$) can be calculated using the charge ($Q$) and the charge of one mole of electrons (Faraday's constant, $F = 96485 \, \text{C/mol}$): $n_e = \frac{Q}{F} = \frac{126360}{96485} \approx 1.309 \, \text{mol}$.Since the half-reaction for the production of oxygen gas requires 4 moles of electrons to produce 1 mole of $O_2$, the number of moles of $O_2$ produced is $n_{O_2} = \frac{n_e}{4} = \frac{1.309}{4} \approx 0.327 \, \text{mol}$.

In the Electrolysis of an Acid Solution,oxygen Can Be Produced