Question

In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen gas and oxygen gas are combined to form water. Write the balanced chemical equation describing this reaction (using lowest whole-number coefficients).

Identify the oxidizing agent and reducing agent.

Determine the number of electrons transferred in the balanced chemical equation.

Answer 1

Answer: The oxidizing agent is oxygen and reducing agent is hydrogen and number of electrons transferred are 2.

Explanation:

A fuel cell is defined as the electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy of a fuel (often used hydrogen) and an oxidizing agent (often used oxygen) into electrical energy via a pair of redox reactions.

Oxidizing agents are defined as the agents which oxidize other substance and itself gets reduced. These agents undergoes reduction reactions.  Reduction reaction is defined as the reaction in which a substance gains electrons.

Reducing agents are defined as the agents which reduces the other substance and itself gets oxidized. These agents undergoes reduction reactions. Oxidation reaction is defined as the reaction in which a substance looses its electrons.

The reactions which occur in hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell are:

At anode:  $H_2+2OH^-\rightarrow 2H_2O+2e^-$

At cathode:  $\frac{1}{2}O_2+H_2O+2e^-\rightarrow 2OH^-$

Net equation:  $H_2+\frac{1}{2}O_2\rightarrow H_2O$

Here, hydrogen is getting oxidized. So, it is a reducing agent. Oxygen is getting reduced and is considered as an oxidizing agent.

Number of electrons transferred = 2

Hence, the oxidizing agent is oxygen and reducing agent is hydrogen and number of electrons transferred are 2.

Answer 2

Answer:

In the hydrogen fuel cell, Hydrogen acts as the reducing agent, and oxygen act as the oxidizing agent. There is a total of 2 electrons transferred in the reaction.

Explanation:

In a hydrogen fuel cell, at anode and cathode, reactions of oxidation and reduction take place.

At anode:

At anode end of the cell, oxidation takes place. The electrons are gained by the atom of hydrogen.

The reaction can be written as:

$\rm H_2\;+\;2\;OH^-\;\rightarrow\;2\;H_2O\;+\;2\;e_-$

At cathode:

At the cathode end of the cell, reduction take place. There is gain of electrons by the oxygen molecule at this end.

The reaction can be written as:

$\rm \frac{1}{2}\;O_2\;+\;H_2O\;+\;2\;e^-\;\rightarrow\;2\;OH^-$

The overall reaction will be:

$\rm H_2\;+\;\frac{1}{2}\;O_2\;\rightarrow\;H_2O$.

The balanced reaction will require 1 mole of hydrogen and half mole of oxygen to produce 1 mole of water in a hydrogen cell.

The oxidizing agent is one that reduces itself, so oxygen is the oxidizing agent and hydrogen is the reducing agent.

There are total 2 electrons transferred in the reaction.

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