Question

use the following information to answer the next two questions. methanol fuel cells produce electricity by reacting methanol and oxygen gas from the air. a simplified diagram of a methanol fuel cell is shown below. methanol fuel cell porous carbon electrode porous carbon electrode ch₃oh(l) + h₂o(l) → co₂(g) + 6h⁺(aq) + 6e⁻ o₂(g) + 4h⁺(aq) + 4e⁻ → 2h₂o(l) pt - ru catalyst 6. when the equation for the overall reaction in the methanol fuel cell is balanced with the lowest whole - number coefficients, the coefficient for o₂(g) is __________ (record in the first column) h₂o(l) is ________ (record in the second column) co₂(g) is ________ (record in the third column) ch₃oh(l) is __________ (record in the fourth column) record your answer with no space and no comma

Explanation:

Step1: Write half - reactions

Oxidation half - reaction: $CH_3OH(l)+H_2O(l)
ightarrow CO_2(g)+6H^+(aq)+6e^-$
Reduction half - reaction: $O_2(g)+4H^+(aq)+4e^-
ightarrow 2H_2O(l)$

Step2: Balance electrons

Multiply the oxidation half - reaction by 2 and the reduction half - reaction by 3 to balance the electrons.
Oxidation: $2CH_3OH(l)+2H_2O(l)
ightarrow 2CO_2(g)+12H^+(aq)+12e^-$
Reduction: $3O_2(g)+12H^+(aq)+12e^-
ightarrow 6H_2O(l)$

Step3: Combine half - reactions

$2CH_3OH(l)+3O_2(g)
ightarrow 2CO_2(g)+4H_2O(l)$

Answer:

3422