I've been staring at a question for a while now but I can't seem to get it right.. If someone could please help me out...
So here is what the passage says about reduction. (ps, the passage is about processes through which you can decontaminate water).
In reverse osmosis, contaminated water is pumped into a vessel that often contains a substance that reduces the contaminants. Toxins that easily gain electrons have higher reduction potentials than those that do not. The water is then mechanically pushed across a thin semi-permeable membrane that does not allow contaminants to pass through.
Then the question:
2. Which one of the following ions is expected to be most resistant to a reducing agent during reverse osmosis?
A. Ni2+
B. Cu2+
C. Zn2+
D. Ga2+
Answer : B
So what I got from all this is that, according to the passage, toxins that have a higher electron affinity will have a higher reduction potential.
My background knowledge tells me that electron affinity increases as we go from left to right on a period. The ions with greater resistance to a reducing agent are the ones that are less likely to be reduced - hence smaller electron affinity. Thus, shouldn't the answer be Ni2+?
I'm confused..
So here is what the passage says about reduction. (ps, the passage is about processes through which you can decontaminate water).
In reverse osmosis, contaminated water is pumped into a vessel that often contains a substance that reduces the contaminants. Toxins that easily gain electrons have higher reduction potentials than those that do not. The water is then mechanically pushed across a thin semi-permeable membrane that does not allow contaminants to pass through.
Then the question:
2. Which one of the following ions is expected to be most resistant to a reducing agent during reverse osmosis?
A. Ni2+
B. Cu2+
C. Zn2+
D. Ga2+
Answer : B
So what I got from all this is that, according to the passage, toxins that have a higher electron affinity will have a higher reduction potential.
My background knowledge tells me that electron affinity increases as we go from left to right on a period. The ions with greater resistance to a reducing agent are the ones that are less likely to be reduced - hence smaller electron affinity. Thus, shouldn't the answer be Ni2+?
I'm confused..