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Please Help Me => Are my chemical equations correct? (1 Viewer)

Equilibrium1

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I am writing about the contribution of Davy for the Shipwrecks, Conservation and Restoration optional module. Davy used electrolysis to decompose molten KOH, which led him to isolate and discover potassium (K). However, I am not quite sure how to represent this using chemical equations.

My friend wrote one set of equations, and I thought about another set... Which of these equations do you think are correct and more suitable to use to explain the reaction?

Set #1:

KOH --> K + O2 + H2
K + O2 --> K2O

Set #2:

KOH --> K+ + OH-
At the cathode: K+ + e- <--> K (2.94 V)
At the anode: 2OH- <--> 1/2O2 + H2O + 2e- (-0.40V)

Alternatively, if both sets of equations are wrong, can you please tell me which are correct?

Thankyou so much! I really appreciate the help - its really bugging me =/
 

Rawf

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I don't do shipwrecks as an option... but set #1 looks ridiculously weird to me... are you putting it in water or something?
KOH --> K+ + OH- looks correct. However, I'm not sure about the anode/cathode reactions.
 

someth1ng

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I am writing about the contribution of Davy for the Shipwrecks, Conservation and Restoration optional module. Davy used electrolysis to decompose molten KOH, which led him to isolate and discover potassium (K). However, I am not quite sure how to represent this using chemical equations.

My friend wrote one set of equations, and I thought about another set... Which of these equations do you think are correct and more suitable to use to explain the reaction?

Set #1:

KOH --> K + O2 + H2
K + O2 --> K2O

Set #2:

KOH --> K+ + OH-
At the cathode: K+ + e- <--> K (2.94 V)
At the anode: 2OH- <--> 1/2O2 + H2O + 2e- (-0.40V)

Alternatively, if both sets of equations are wrong, can you please tell me which are correct?

Thankyou so much! I really appreciate the help - its really bugging me =/
The bolded parts are incorrect - I believe there is no equilibrium.
 

barbernator

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I am writing about the contribution of Davy for the Shipwrecks, Conservation and Restoration optional module. Davy used electrolysis to decompose molten KOH, which led him to isolate and discover potassium (K). However, I am not quite sure how to represent this using chemical equations.

My friend wrote one set of equations, and I thought about another set... Which of these equations do you think are correct and more suitable to use to explain the reaction?

Set #1:

KOH --> K + O2 + H2
K + O2 --> K2O

Set #2:

KOH --> K+ + OH-
At the cathode: K+ + e- <--> K (2.94 V)
At the anode: 2OH- <--> 1/2O2 + H2O + 2e- (-0.40V)

Alternatively, if both sets of equations are wrong, can you please tell me which are correct?

Thankyou so much! I really appreciate the help - its really bugging me =/
If you got the second half equations from the reduction potentials sheet then they should be correct.
 

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