Hydrogen-Oxygen Fuel CellsCambridge IGCSE Chemistry: Flashcards

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What does a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell use to produce electricity, and what is the only chemical product?

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What does a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell use to produce electricity, and what is the only chemical product?: It uses hydrogen and oxygen; water is the only chemical product.
How is a fuel cell different from simply burning hydrogen?: A fuel cell converts the chemical energy directly into electrical energy, rather than releasing it as heat through combustion.
Which electrode does oxidation occur at in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell?: The electrode where hydrogen reacts, losing electrons.
Which electrode does reduction occur at in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell?: The electrode where oxygen reacts, gaining electrons.
Define oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons.: Oxidation is loss of electrons; reduction is gain of electrons.
How do electrons travel in a fuel cell, and what does this create?: Electrons flow through the external circuit from the oxidation (hydrogen) electrode to the reduction (oxygen) electrode, creating the electric current.
What is the role of the electrolyte in a fuel cell?: It allows ions to move through the cell, completing the circuit and maintaining charge balance.
Give one advantage of a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell vehicle over a petrol/gasoline engine vehicle.: It only produces water, with no carbon dioxide or other harmful emissions.
Give one disadvantage of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles compared with petrol/gasoline vehicles.: Hydrogen gas is difficult and expensive to store and transport safely, and refuelling infrastructure is limited.
Why might a fuel cell vehicle still have an indirect environmental impact?: Producing the hydrogen fuel in the first place often requires energy, which may come from fossil fuels.