Question

Is the half-wave potential concentration dependent?

A) Yes, the half-wave potential is always directly proportional to the concentration of reactants.

B) No, the half-wave potential is independent of the concentration of reactants.

C) Yes, the half-wave potential is inversely proportional to the concentration of reactants.

D) No, the half-wave potential is only dependent on the temperature of the system.

Answer 1

The half-wave potential is typically independent of the concentration of reactants for first-order reactions and is more influenced by the nature of the electrode materials, identity of the ions, and temperature.

Step-by-step explanation:

The half-wave potential is not concentration dependent for a first-order reaction. The half-life of a first-order reaction, which relates to the time it takes for the concentration of a reactant to decrease by half, is independent of the concentration of the reactants.

However, for a zero-order reaction, the half-life decreases as the concentration of the reactant decreases, and for a second-order reaction, the half-life is inversely proportional to the concentration of the reactant. In the context of electrochemistry, the half-wave potential of an electrochemical cell is typically found to be independent of reactant concentration because it is more influenced by factors such as the nature of the electrode reaction, the identity of the ion being reduced or oxidized, and other environmental factors like temperature.