#Nernst equation calculator free#

At the surface of the electrode, Cu 2+ ions pick up the electrons and are reduced to Cu atoms. The electrons flow through the external circuit into the Cu electrode. Zn atoms spontaneously give up 2 electrons and enter the solution as Zn 2+ ions. Consider the zinc-copper cell shown below. This type of device is called a voltaic cell. Instead, the electrons are forced to flow through an external electrical circuit. Zn( s) + Cu 2+ → Zn 2+ + Cu( s) It is possible for a redox reaction to occur in such a way that the electrons cannot jump directly from one particle to another. For example, electrons are more stable on copper than zinc, so if a piece of zinc is placed in a copper ion solution, the electrons will spontaneously transfer from Zn to Cu 2+, where they are more stable.

#Nernst equation calculator free#

Thermodynamics can predict if electrons would prefer to be transferred from one species to another based on the free energy change of the system. An oxidation-reduction or redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which one or more electrons from one molecule or atom are transferred to another. The electrons may be on two ends of a wire, on two atoms, or on the cathode and anode of a battery having a potential difference.

The energy difference, or potential difference, between two electrons is measured in volts (joules/coulomb). The voltage describes the relative energies of electrons on different atoms and/or ions.

relevant reference information and/or textbook information on thermodynamics, electrochemistry, equilibrium, and free energyīackground The primary measurement in electrochemistry is the voltage (V) of an electrochemical cell.