Question

The electrolysis of acetate solution produces ethane according to reaction -
$2C{H}_{3}CO{O}^{-}⟶C_2{H}_6(g)+2C{O}_2(g)+2e^{-}$
The current efficiency of the process is $80\%$. What volume of gases would be produced at $27^{\circ }C$ and $740$ torr, if the current of $0.5$ amp is passed through the solution for $96.45\min$ ?

Answer 1

Answer: 0.91

Equivalents of $C{O}_2$ produced $=\frac{(I\times \eta )\times t}{96500}$
$\frac{0.5\times 0.8\times 96.5\times 60}{96500}=0.024$
moles of $C{O}_2(n=1)$ produced $=0.024$
moles of $C_2{H}_6(n=2)$ produced
$=\frac{0.024}{2}=0.012$
Total moles of gases produced $\Rightarrow 0.036$
$V_{\text{gases }}=\frac{nRT}{P}=\frac{0.036\times 0.0821\times 300}{\left(\frac{740}{760}\right)}$
$=0.91$ litre