When suspected drunk drivers are tested with a Breathalyzer, the alcohol (ethanol) in the exhaled breath is oxidized to acetic acid with an acidic solution of potassium dichromate:
3 CH3CH2OH(aq) + 2 Cr2O7-2 (aq) + 16 H+(aq) 3CH3CO2H(aq) + 4Cr+3(aq) + 11H2O (l)
What is the value of E for the reaction when the concentrations of ethanol, acetic acid, Cr
2O
7-2, and Cr
+3, are 1.0M and the pH is 4.00? (Eº for this cell is 1.30V and the temperature is 298K) .
Equations to solve this problem are below.
ε =
ε° -

ln
Q
ε = 1.30 -

ln

◦ 1.24 V
◦ 1.30 V
◦ 0.98 V
◦ 1.62 V