Question

What are some examples of electrochemical processes?

Answer 1

Hint: An electrochemical process is the process that involves a chemical reaction to generate electrical energy. This involves the flow of electrons to create electrical current. These reactions are a type of redox reaction, where oxidation and reduction happens simultaneously, which means gaining and losing of electrons.

Complete answer:
The structure of an atom contains electrons in their shells. These electrons carry a negative charge. The mobilization of electrons is able to produce electricity. Electrochemical process is a process that consists of elements (basically metals) reacting to give electrons that conduct electric current and generate electrical energy. Thus the electrochemical process is the conversion of chemical reactions into electric energy. They have a redox reaction taking place that result in mobility in the electrons that create current. The most common example of an electrochemical process is a galvanic cell, other than that corrosion is also its example. The processes in these are:
-Galvanic cell: it consists of 2 electrodes, cathode and anode made of metals that are immersed in the salt solutions, they are connected through a salt bridge. The anode is the negative end from which the oxidation occurs and the electrons are released, these electrons are taken up by positive terminal cathode where reduction takes place.
For example, a cell has zinc as anode and copper as cathode, the reactions will be,
Oxidation $Zn(s)\to Z{{n}^{2+}}(aq)+2{{e}^{-}}$
Reduction $C{{u}^{2+}}(aq)+2{{e}^{-}}\to Cu(s)$
Net equation $Zn(s)+C{{u}^{2+}}(aq)\to Z{{n}^{2+}}(aq)+Cu(s)$
This flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode derives electrical energy.
-Corrosion: The other example is rusting of iron that is corrosion. It happens when iron is subjected to moisture or water droplets, this moisture or water droplets act as a mini voltaic cell on the iron surface. The iron metal loses electrons that are taken up by the oxygen atoms in air that are reduced. The electrons are mobile that form hydroxide ions outside the water molecule. When these hydroxide ions react with iron they form a precipitate of ferrous hydroxide, then this oxidizes to form rust.
For example, the reactions are
Oxidation $Fe(s)\to F{{e}^{2+}}(s)+2{{e}^{-}}$
Reduction ${{O}_{2}}(g)+2{{H}_{2}}O(\ell )+4{{e}^{-}}\to 4O{{H}^{-}}(aq)$
Iron (II) hydroxide forms $F{{e}^{2+}}(aq)+2O{{H}^{-}}(aq)\to Fe{{(OH)}_{2}}(s)$
Rust formation $Fe{{(OH)}_{2}}(s)+{{O}_{2}}(g)\to 2F{{e}_{2}}{{O}_{3}}.{{H}_{2}}O(s)+2{{H}_{2}}O(\ell )$
Hence, the examples of electrochemical processes are galvanic cells and corrosion of iron.

Note:
The transition metals are most commonly used in these types of reactions as they possess variable oxidation states that help the redox reaction to carry out the conversion of chemical energy to electric current. Iron, zinc, copper are transition metals, due to the presence of vacant d orbitals they conduct electricity by excitation of electrons easily showing different oxidation states.