Hydrogen and oxygen can be burned to produce water according to the following combustion reaction.
2 h2 (g) + o2 (g) −→ 2 h2o (l)
this combustion reaction is also a redox reaction since the oxidation states of h and o change during the reaction. the two half-reactions can be separated and performed in solution: this is a fuel cell. the fuel cell can then be used to run an electric motor and used to power an automobile. consider a fuel cell battery made of the following.
pt (s)| h2 (g)| h + (aq)|| o2 (g), h + (aq), h2o (l)| pt (s)
1. give the balanced half reactions
2. give the standard cell potential, e o cell
3. a watt is a power unit in which w = j/s = a · v = a · e^o cell. so the watts of power is the amps the fuel cell produces times the cell potential. if 1 mol of o2 and 2 mol of h2 are reacted in the fuel cell in 1 second, how many watts of power is possible?
4. what horsepower is possible? that number leads to exhilarating acceleration!
hint: 1 hp = 746 w