Questions on the Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE)
Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) – Multiple Choice Questions
Questions
1. What is the standard electrode potential of the Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE)?
A) +1.00 V
B) –1.00 V
C) +0.76 V
D) 0.00 V
E) –0.76 V
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2. What gas is used in the Standard Hydrogen Electrode?
A) Oxygen
B) Nitrogen
C) Hydrogen
D) Carbon dioxide
E) Helium
3. What is the pressure of hydrogen gas in a SHE under standard conditions?
A) 0.1 atm
B) 0.5 atm
C) 1.0 atm
D) 2.0 atm
E) 5.0 atm
4. What is the concentration of H⁺ ions in the SHE?
A) 0.1 M
B) 1.0 M
C) 0.01 M
D) 10 M
E) 0.5 M
5. What is the function of the platinum electrode in the SHE?
A) Reacts with hydrogen
B) Supplies electrons
C) Acts as a reference
D) Serves as an inert conductor
E) Is oxidized in the reaction
6. In the SHE, hydrogen ions are converted to hydrogen gas at the:
A) Cathode only
B) Anode only
C) Platinum electrode
D) Salt bridge
E) Zinc rod
7. Why is the SHE assigned a potential of 0.00 V?
A) It conducts no current
B) It is the most reactive electrode
C) It provides the highest voltage
D) It is a universal reference point
E) It has no electrons
8. Which electrode is used as a comparison when measuring other electrode potentials?
A) Zinc electrode
B) Copper electrode
C) SHE
D) Iron electrode
E) Carbon electrode
9. Which of the following is NOT a component of the SHE?
A) Platinum electrode
B) Hydrogen gas
C) Salt bridge
D) HCl or strong acid
E) 1 M H⁺ solution
10. What role does the SHE play in a galvanic cell?
A) It drives the current
B) It provides ions
C) It serves as a reference electrode
D) It reacts with metal ions
E) It acts as a cathode only
11. Why is platinum used in SHE and not another metal?
A) It’s cheap
B) It reacts with H⁺
C) It has a high resistance
D) It is inert and conducts electricity
E) It produces hydrogen gas
12. In the SHE, which half-reaction occurs?
A) H₂ → 2H⁺ + 2e⁻
B) H⁺ + e⁻ → H
C) H₂O → H⁺ + OH⁻
D) H⁺ → H₂ + e⁻
E) H₂ + 2e⁻ → 2H⁻
13. The SHE must be maintained at what temperature under standard conditions?
A) 0°C
B) 25°C
C) 50°C
D) 75°C
E) 100°C
14. Which of the following is not true about the SHE?
A) It uses platinum as an inert electrode
B) It is set to 0.00 V by convention
C) It uses 1 M H⁺ concentration
D) It always acts as an anode
E) It can act as a cathode or anode depending on the other half-cell
15. The electrode potential of a half-cell measured against SHE is known as:
A) Absolute potential
B) Ionization energy
C) Standard electrode potential
D) Standard reaction quotient
E) Current density
16. In a voltaic cell with SHE and Zn, Zn is oxidized and SHE acts as:
A) The anode
B) The cathode
C) The salt bridge
D) The oxidizing agent
E) The electrolyte
17. The SHE setup does NOT include which of the following materials?
A) Platinum
B) Glass container
C) Hydrogen gas
D) Salt bridge
E) Copper rod
18. If a metal electrode shows a potential of +0.34 V when connected to the SHE, this means the metal:
A) Is less reactive than hydrogen
B) Is more reactive than hydrogen
C) Cannot be oxidized
D) Is insoluble
E) Has no electrode potential
19. Which condition must be strictly controlled in the SHE to ensure accurate measurements?
A) Color of the electrode
B) Volume of gas
C) Purity of water
D) Pressure of hydrogen gas
E) Size of salt bridge
20. What is the main purpose of the SHE in electrochemistry?
A) To produce electricity
B) To oxidize metals
C) To serve as a reference for standard electrode potentials
D) To reduce hydrogen ions
E) To act as an electrolyte
- Questions about Electrochemical Reactions
- Questions on Voltaic Cells
- Questions about Electrical Potential
Answers with Explanations
1. D – By convention, the SHE is assigned 0.00 V as the reference point.
2. C – Hydrogen gas (H₂) is used in the SHE.
3. C – The pressure of hydrogen gas is 1.0 atm under standard conditions.
4. B – The concentration of H⁺ ions is 1.0 M (standard).
5. D – Platinum is inert and conducts electricity without reacting.
6. C – The conversion occurs at the platinum electrode.
7. D – SHE is set to 0.00 V as a universal reference.
8. C – The SHE is used as the standard comparison electrode.
9. C – The salt bridge is not part of the SHE itself; it's part of a full cell.
10. C – The SHE acts as a reference electrode in a galvanic cell.
11. D – Platinum is used because it is inert and conducts well.
12. A – The half-reaction is H₂ → 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ (oxidation) or its reverse depending on cell.
13. B – Standard temperature is 25°C (298 K).
14. D – The SHE can act as anode or cathode, depending on the other electrode.
15. C – This is known as the standard electrode potential.
16. B – If Zn is oxidized, the SHE acts as the cathode (reduction occurs there).
17. E – A copper rod is not used in SHE.
18. A – A positive potential vs SHE means the metal is less reactive than H₂.
19. D – The pressure of hydrogen gas (1 atm) must be maintained for accuracy.
20. C – SHE is primarily used as a reference electrode to define standard potentials.
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