Abstract
This “clicker case” provides students with an overview of batteries and fuel cells and the oxidation-reduction reactions used in these devices. The context for this overview is a comparison of battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Students are also introduced to photoelectrochemical cells and learn how these devices are being developed to produce hydrogen fuel from water and sunlight. The case is delivered as a PowerPoint presentation containing periodic questions that students answer with clickers (personal response systems) or suitable alternatives. The case was originally designed for use in either the second semester or third quarter of a general chemistry course, and presupposes a background in oxidation-reduction reactions, Galvanic cells, and standard reduction potentials. Prior to class, students are assigned to read sections of two journal articles and an industry white paper; access to these articles may vary by institution, but an alternative open-access resource (Wikipedia article) is available.