Question

The electromotive force of the cell \( \text{Zn} | \text{ZnSO}_4 || \text{CuSO}_4 | \text{Cu} \) is 1.1 volts. Its cathode is

• A. Zn
• B. Cu
• C. \( \text{ZnSO}_4 \)
• D. \( \text{CuSO}_4 \)

Hint:

In an electrochemical cell, the cathode is where reduction occurs, and it is the electrode where the ion from the electrolyte gains electrons.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the electrochemical cell.
In an electrochemical cell, the cathode is where reduction occurs. In the given cell, zinc (Zn) undergoes oxidation at the anode, and copper (Cu) undergoes reduction at the cathode. Step 2: Analyzing the cell setup.
The cell notation represents the two half-cells: the left half-cell (\( \text{Zn} | \text{ZnSO}_4 \)) is where zinc undergoes oxidation, and the right half-cell (\( \text{CuSO}_4 | \text{Cu} \)) is where copper undergoes reduction. Since reduction occurs at the cathode, copper (Cu) is the cathode. Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B) because copper (Cu) is the cathode where reduction takes place.