Can a double oxidation phenomenon generate an electric current?

[sorin]

An unusual battery is proposed in the experiment below. The particularity of this cell is the fact that both electrodes (formal cathode and anode) undergo oxidation phenomenon.

The experiment is very simple: put a piece of Fe and a piece of Zn in a sulfuric acid solution and connect these pieces of metal to an ammeter.

Although both metals are oxidized, an electric current is generated in an external circuit.

The detailed description of the experiment is presented at

www.elkadot.com

A video is posted too, showing that bubbles of hydrogen develop at both metallic electrodes.

It cannot be accepted that electrons are generated at both electrodes and these electrons are traveling in the external circuit in opposite directions only for the sake of traveling...meet each other, greet each other and continues on ...

In the frame of actual science, no possible explanation can be formulated for the experiment and a new frame for conversion of chemical energy in electrical energy have to be proposed.

You can perform the experiment in the kitchen using same metals and a acetic acid solution (vinegar).

Regards,

[Enthalpy]

"In the frame of actual science, no possible explanation can be..." now that's an ambitious statement.

 

I have nothing against an electric current, resulting from the different redox potentials, that lets zinc dissolve faster and iron slower.

[sorin]

Hi Enthalpy,

Your comment is reasonable but do not explain the situation ...

Both electrodes are consumed, hidrogen develops at both electrodes...
So there it is a simple guess with no solution for actual chemsitry:

Fe = Fe 2+ plus 2e which remains on the metalic electrode

Zn = Zn2+ plus 2e which remains on the metalic electrod.

According to actual chemistry electrones from Fe must travel at Zn electrode to develop hydrogen and electrons from Zn must travel to Fe electrode to generate hydrogen. How these electrons travel in opposite directions?
No answer...
So ... there remains the posibility that electrons from Fe react at the Fe electrode with hidrogen cation and form molecular hydrogen and electrons from Zn react at surface of Zn electrode and form molecular hydrogen ...
But in this case no charge is goind into extranal circuit so no electric current ...

Of course the speed of these reactions are different... but eeven in this case ... I do not think Zn electrones forces Fe electronse to stay cramped ...

And this post is only the warming up ... see the covalent compound substituting a ionic salt experiment ...

[Strange]

The electrode potential of zinc and iron are different (perhaps you have heard of galvanised iron?).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrode_potential

[John Cuthber]

Have a look here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_battery

In particular, look for the bit about "local action"

[sorin]

Hi Strange,

 

Of course I have heard about their different potential electrodes ( in fact there is a new experiment with electrod potential and electrochemistry).

If they are different doeas not change the situation.. both metals got oxidised and an electric current flows between.

 

Hi John,

Thank you for the link .. but I was prefering some treateses of physical chemistry ...

The information there, at least for me is more then well known ...

But I havent found anything about local action on that page. The concept is in any case well known to me ... though without relevance for the experiment.

Edited October 26, 2013 by sorin

[John Cuthber]

If you didn't find it you can't have looked very hard.

Here is the bit that you didn't understand the relevance of.

"Another problem with Volta's batteries was short battery life (an hour's worth at best) which was caused by two phenomena. The first was ...The other was a phenomenon called local action, wherein minute short-circuits would form around impurities in the zinc, causing the zinc to degrade. "

 

I'm sure I have seen that described in elementary physics textbooks, and it explains the evolution of hydrogen at the zinc electrode.