Topic 5- Fuel cells (paper 1)

Question 1

How do chemical fuel cells work?

Answer 1

A voltage is produced across the reactants within the cell until one of the reactants has been used up

Question 2

What is the equation for a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell

Answer 2

hydrogen + oxygen → water
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O

Question 3

What are the advantages of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells?

Answer 3

• No harmful pollutants produced
• enery isn’t lost through friction like in a car engine
• doesn’t require moving parts to be made like in a car engine

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells?

Answer 4

• hydrogen gas takes up much more space than liquid fuels
• hydrogen is often made from hydrocarbons (from fossil fuels) or electrolysis of water (requiring energy- usually from fossil fuels) → both processes pollute
• expensive to install infrastructure for it