In order to determine the identity of a particular lanthanide metal Sm,a voltaic cell is constructed at 25°C with the anode consisting of the lanthanide metal as the electrode immersed in a solution of 0.0819 M SmCl₃,and the cathode consisting of a copper electrode immersed in a 1.00 M Cu(NO₃)₂ solution.The two half-reactions are as follows: Sm(s)$\to$ Sm³⁺(aq)+ 3e^- Cu²⁺(aq)+ 2e^- $\to$ Cu(s) The potential measured across the cell is 2.67 V.What is the identity of the metal?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The identity of the metal is determined by matching the experimentally measured cell potential with the theoretical cell potential calculated using the standard reduction potentials given. The standard reduction potential for Sm^3+ to Sm(s) is -2.304 V. When combined with the standard reduction potential for the Cu^2+ to Cu(s) half-reaction (0.34 V), the overall cell potential can be calculated. The closest match to the experimentally measured 2.67 V, considering both the magnitude and the direction of electron flow, is for Sm, indicating that the lanthanide metal in question is Samarium (Sm).

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