Fuel Cell

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A diagram of a simple fuel cell.

A fuel cell is a device which can combine Hydrogen and Oxygen to produce a Potential Difference.

About Fuel Cells

In a fuel cell Oxygen is combined with Hydrogen to produce Water.

Fuel cells are designed to combine Hydrogen ions and Hydroxide ions to produce a potential difference between two electrodes.

Fuel cells may be used in electric cars and were used on the Space Shuttle.

Advantages

• No Carbon Dioxide is produced.
• Refilling with Hydrogen is quicker than recharging a battery.
• They can be made in many different sizes for different uses.

Disadvantages

• Hydrogen must be stored as a Compressed Gas.
• Hydrogen is highly flammable.
• Hydrogen is made by electrolysis which requires electricity, which is often made by power stations burning fuel and producing Carbon Dioxide.

References

AQA

Fuel cell, pages 172-3, 184-5, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA

Fuel cells, page 65, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA

Fuel cells, pages 122-123, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA

Fuel cells, pages 138-9, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA

Fuel cells, pages 190, 191, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA

Edexcel

Fuel cells, page 71, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel

Fuel cells, pages 124-125, GCSE Chemistry, Pearson, Edexcel

Fuel cells, pages 206, 207, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Fuel cells, page 95, Gateway GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR