However, the extent of the electrodes in the reactor, creating multiple layers of electrolyte and unequal conditions on the electrodes surfaces, will cause major changes in the standard modes of the half reactions.
22.
The mechanism of action has still not been entirely deduced, however, the leading theory suggests that the conversion is carried out through a series of redox reactions involving iron centers as shown in the series of half reactions below:
23.
In pure water at the negatively charged cathode, a reduction reaction takes place, with electrons ( e " ) from the cathode being given to hydrogen cations to form hydrogen gas ( the half reaction balanced with acid ):
24.
If you carefully examine the conditions where each half reaction holds, you'll find mass-energy is conserved in each, so even if you were able to combine them somehow, mass-energy would still be conserved.
25.
For oxidation-reduction reactions in basic conditions, after balancing the atoms and oxidation numbers, first treat it as an acidic solution and then add OH " ions to balance the H + ions in the half reactions ( which would give H 2 O ).
26.
In that case, you'd need the liquid-phase electrode potential data; I don't have that at my finger tips, but the method is identical, except you don't have water present, so you'd need a liquid-phase half reaction for the oxidation of the sulfate ion into sulfur trioxide gas and oxygen gas .-- 32 " "'15 : 40, 6 May 2010 ( UTC)
