Which of the following is the correct cell representation for the given cell reaction ?
`Zn+H_2SO_4 to ZnSO_4 + H_2`

Options

A. `Zn|Zn^(2+)||H^(+) |H_2`
B. `Zn|Zn^(2+)||H^+ , H_2|Pt`
C. `Zn|ZnSO_4||H_2SO_4 |Zn`
D. `Zn|H_2SO_4 ||ZnSO_4 |H_2`

Explanation

To determine the correct cell representation for the given cell reaction \( \text{Zn} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \rightarrow \text{ZnSO}_4 + \text{H}_2 \), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Oxidation and Reduction Reactions**:
- Zinc (Zn) is oxidized to zinc ions (\( \text{Zn}^{2+} \)):
\[ \text{Zn} \rightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \]
- Hydrogen ions (\( \text{H}^+ \)) from sulfuric acid are reduced to hydrogen gas (\( \text{H}_2 \)):
\[ 2\text{H}^+ + 2e^{-} \rightarrow \text{H}_2 \]

2. **Write the Half-Reactions**:
- The oxidation half-reaction is:
\[ \text{Zn} \rightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \]
- The reduction half-reaction is:
\[ 2\text{H}^+ + 2e^{-} \rightarrow \text{H}_2 \]

3. **Identify the Anode and Cathode**:
- The anode is where oxidation occurs, which is the zinc electrode.
- The cathode is where reduction occurs, which involves the hydrogen ions.

4. **Choose the Electrode Material**:
- Since hydrogen gas is involved in the reduction half-reaction, a platinum electrode is often used at the cathode because it is inert and can facilitate the reaction without participating in it.

5. **Construct the Cell Representation**:
- The standard notation for electrochemical cells is:
\[ \text{Anode} | \text{Anode Solution} || \text{Cathode Solution} | \text{Cathode} \]
- For our reaction:
- Anode: \( \text{Zn} | \text{Zn}^{2+} \)
- Cathode: \( \text{H}^+ | \text{H}_2 \) (using platinum as the electrode)
- Therefore, the cell representation is:
\[ \text{Zn} | \text{Zn}^{2+} || \text{H}^+ | \text{H}_2 \text{(Pt)} \]

### Final Cell Representation:
The correct cell representation for the reaction \( \text{Zn} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \rightarrow \text{ZnSO}_4 + \text{H}_2 \) is:
\[ \text{Zn} | \text{Zn}^{2+} || \text{H}^+ | \text{H}_2 \text{(Pt)} \]