Read the following passage given below and answer the question.
Production of electricity by thermal plants is not very efficient method. It is now possible to make cells in which reactants are fed continuously to the electrodes and products are also removed continuously. One of the most successful fuel cells is hydrogen fuel cell.
Hydrogen fuel cell is an:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → electrochemical cell
An electrochemical (galvanic) cell converts the chemical energy of a spontaneous redox reaction into electrical energy. Fuel cells are galvanic cells designed to convert the energy of combustion of fuels such as hydrogen directly into electrical energy. In the hydrogen fuel cell the spontaneous reaction is:
\( \displaystyle \ce{2H2(g) + O2(g) -> 2H2O(l)} \)
Option (2) electrolytic cell — Incorrect. An electrolytic cell uses electrical energy from outside to drive a non-spontaneous reaction, as in the electrolysis of water. A fuel cell does the opposite: it produces electricity.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Fuel Cells – “… Galvanic cells that are designed to convert the energy of combustion of fuels like hydrogen, methane, methanol, etc. directly into electrical energy are called fuel cells.”