Electrochemistry

http://ch302.cm.utexas.edu/echem/echem-cells/selector.php?name=voltaic-cells

Electrochemistry is the chemistry of electron theft, a surprisingly common occurrence in the world. To understand electrochemistry you’ll need to understand when reactions involve electron theft, and how to determine charge and oxidation number (a “sort-of” charge in non ionic compounds). Understanding oxidation numbers is extremely important, as it plays a huge role in some rather horrible events in the past century. You’ll need to know some basic vocabulary of electron theft reactions (called redox reactions), and you need to learn to balance some pretty weird looking reactions using the half-reaction method. 

Then we’ll start to look at how redox reactions are used. We’ll discuss Galvanic cells, including how they are made, how they work and the electrochemical potential (voltage) they produce. We’ll discuss the difference between cells and batteries (a word most of us use incorrectly most of the time). We’ll look at the basic construction of dry cells (like AAA, AA, C and D). We’ll also look at Lithium-Ion batteries, lead storage batteries (like the one in your gasoline powered car), and fuel cells.

Cells use chemistry to produce electricity, but the reverse can be done as well (using electricity to drive chemistry). This is called electrolysis and we’ll look at 4 purposes to electrolysis: a) recharging cells and batteries - this is discussed here and here, b) separating compounds into elements (which can be done with pure substances and with aqueous solutions, often with very different results), c) purifying impure metal samples, and d) electroplating.

Lastly, we’ll look at corrosion and ways to protect from corrosion such as sacrificial anodes.