Question

3 Ag2S + 2 Al(s) = Al2S3 + 6 Ag(s)
Is this a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

i do know that galvanic cell = the negative electrode, where oxidation occurs

Answer 2

So you didnt learn anything about electromotive force?

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa082003a.htm

Answer 3

nope. i take this online course thing and the material is really vague...

Answer 4

so its a galvanic cell

Answer 5

http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Analytical_Chemistry/Electrochemistry/Basics_of_Electrochemistry

Check out the section cell potential, essentially you use electromotive force to determine which way the reaction goes spontaneously if it is galvanic cell the reaction happens spontaneously, if it is an electrolytic cell then the reaction is not spontaneous

Answer 6

you need to apply electricity to it to cause it to go forward

Answer 7

ah no. its not spontaneous so the equation is actually an electrolytic cell

Answer 8

well if you know that then you know the answer

Answer 9

3 Ag2S + 2 Al(s) = Al2S3 + 6 Ag(s) is electrolytic

Answer 10

you can tell what is the cathode and what the anode is by what is being reduced and what is being oxidized

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Galvanic_cell_with_no_cation_flow.png

you can see from this diagram that the negative end the anode is losing electrons so it is being oxidized

you can see that the cathode is gaining electrons so it is being Reduced

Answer 11

in the equation, ag is oxidized

Answer 12

It has been awhile since I have thought about this stuff but it is actually pretty interesting if you ever want to isolate certain metals like sodium which is a pretty fun metal as it reacts violently with water

Answer 13

just write the half reactions, I'm pretty sure that Al is being oxidized

Answer 14

Oxidation Reaction: Al(s) —> Al(3+) + 3e-
Reduction Reaction: Ag(+) + e(-) —> Ag(s)

Answer 15

you're right

Answer 16

wait so is it galvanic...? I'm confused

Answer 17

You cant tell which it is unless you look at the electromotive force

Answer 18

Electromotive force of cell = Electromotive force (cathode)-Electromotive foce (Anode)

Pretty sure if it is negative the reaction is not spontanous thus it would be electrolytic cell and galvanic if the other way around

Answer 19

You find your electromotive forces for each individual half reaction here,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_electrode_potential_%28data_page%29