Electrochemistry - the branch of chemistry that deals with
the interconversion of electrical energy and chemical
energy.
redox reactions (oxidation-reduction)
*spontaneous reaction: energy is released
*nonspontaneous reaction: energy is used
Oxidation Number:
-also known as oxidation state
-number of charges the atom would have in a molecule if
electrons were transferred completely
Rules:
1. Free elements: oxidation number is zero e.g. H2, O2, Na
2. Ions composed of only one atom: oxidation number is
same as charge on the ion e.g. O2-, Na+
3. Oxygen: -2 in most compounds, -1 in hydrogen peroxide
(H2O2) and peroxide ion (O22-)
4. Hydrogen: +1 in most compounds, -1 when bonded to
metals in binary compounds (LiH, NaH)
5. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine: -1 when occurring as
halide ions
6. In a neutral molecule, sum of oxidation numbers of all the
atoms must be zero.
7. In a polyatomic ion, sum of oxidation numbers of all the
elements in the ion must be equal to the net charge of the
ion.
Redox Reactions:
Redox is short for oxidation-reduction reactions
Oxidation: loss of electrons-Oxidation number increases
Reduction: gain of electrons-Oxidation number decreases
(reduced)
Reducing/Oxidation Agent:
Reducing agent: the species that caused reduction
- Usually the species that underwent oxidation
Oxidation agent: the species that caused oxidation
- Usually the species that underwent reduction
If the redox reaction is spontaneous, energy is released.
Galvanic cell:
 An apparatus that generates electricity using
spontaneous redox reactions.
 The oxidation half-reaction will occur at the anode,
while the reduction half-reaction will occur at the
cathode.
Standard cell potential (E’ cell):
 If a voltmeter is placed as the load in a galvanic
cell, a reading will be shown. This reading is the
voltage across the two half-cells.
 This voltage is also known as the standard cell
potential, or the cell voltage, or electromotive force
(emf)
 The more positive the E’cell the more likely the
redox reaction is going to happen.
Standard Electrode Potential:
 Also known as the standard reduction potential.
 Measures the tendency for a reduction process to
occur at an electrode.
 Reference half-cell: standard hydrogen electrode
(SHE)
 E’cathode: standard reduction potential of cathode
 E’anode: standard reduction potential of anode
 Positive E’cell: will favor the formation of products
 Negative E’cell: will favor the formation of
reactants.
Nuclear Chemistry:
 The study of phenomena that originate within the
nuclei of atoms.
 Reaction that occur at the nuclear level are called
nuclear reactions.
Chemical vs. Nuclear reactions
Bonds are broken Nuclei emit particles
and/or rays
Atoms are rearranged Atoms change into atoms
of different element
Involve valence electrons Involve protons, neutrons,
and electrons
Small energy change Large energy changes
Radioactivity:
 The phenomenon in which small particles of matter
and electromagnetic radiation are emitted by
unstable atomic nuclei.
Isotopes:
 Isotopes – same element (same number of protons)
with different numbers of neutrons
 Radioisotopes – isotopes of atoms with unstable
nuclei
 Radioactive decay – when unstable nuclei lose
energy by emitting radiation to become more stable
Nuclear Equations:
 Nuclear equations represent nuclear reactions in the
same way chemical equations represent chemical
equations represent chemical reactions.
 The main difference is that in nuclear equations,
the mass number and atomic number are displayed.
 Reactants -> Products  Radioactive decay wherein an inner-shell orbital
electron is captured by the nucleus
1. The sum of mass numbers must be the same on
 0/-1 e
both sides.
2. The sum of atomic numbers must be the same on
both sides.

Alpha particles:

 A bundle of two protons and two neutrons

 A or 4/2 He
 Low penetrating power
 Deflected by electric and magnetic fields
 Alpha decay – radioactive decay by emission of
alpha particles

Beta particles:

 An electron from the nucleus

 Β or 0, -1 e
 Greater penetrating power than α particles
 Deflected by electric and magnetic fields
 Beta emission – radioactive decay be emission of
beta particles.

Gamma rays:

 Electromagnetic radiation
 8y or y
 Greater penetrating power than α and β particles
 Not deflected by electric and magnetic fields
 Gamma emission

Positron:

 A positive electron
 Β+, +0/1 β, or 0/1e
 Positron emission – radioactive decay by releasing
a positron

Electron capture: