Title Electrochemical cells Objective To construct several electrochemical cells using different metals and to arrange the metals

in an electrochemical series Data Collection

Table for data collection.

No.

Electrochemical cell

Observation

e.m.f. (V) / 0.05 V 0.20 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.30 0.10 0.05 0.10 0.10 0.10

(1)/ Copper/iron (2)/ Copper/X In all (3)/ Copper/silver electrochemical (4)/ Copper/aluminium cells, the needle (5)/ Iron/silver of voltmeter (6)/ Iron/aluminium moves from left (7)/ Iron/X to right. (8)/ Silver/X (9) Silver/aluminium (10)/ Aluminium/X *Assume that X will lose 2 electrons. Data Processing and Presentation Electrochemical cell Fe2+(aq)/Fe(s) X2+(aq)/X (s) Cu(s)/Cu2+(aq) Al3+(aq)/Al(s) Fe2+(aq)/Fe(s) Al3+(aq)/Al(s) X2+(aq)/X (s) X2+(aq)/X (s) Al3+(aq)/Al(s) X2+(aq)/X (s) Cu(s)/Cu2+(aq) Cu(s)/Cu2+(aq) Ag+(aq)/Ag(s) Cu(s)/Cu2+(aq) Ag+(aq)/Ag(s) Fe2+(aq)/Fe(s) Fe2+(aq)/Fe(s) Ag+(aq)/Ag(s) Ag+(aq)/Ag(s) Al3+(aq)/Al(s)

Polarity of the electrode Anode Cathode (negative (positive electrode) electrode) Iron Copper X Copper Copper Silver Aluminium Copper Iron Silver Aluminium Iron X Iron X Silver Aluminium Silver X Aluminium

Half equation for each electrode Anode: Fe(s) Fe2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Cu2+(aq) + 2e Cu(s) Anode: X(s) X2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Cu2+(aq) + 2e Cu(s) Anode: Cu(s) Cu2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Ag+(aq) + e Ag(s) Anode: Al(s) Al3+(aq) + 3e Cathode: Cu2+(aq) + 2e Cu(s) Anode: Fe(s) Fe2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Ag+(aq) + e Ag(s) Anode: Al(s) Al3+(aq) + 3e Cathode: Fe2+(aq) + 2e Fe(s) Anode: X(s) X2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Fe2+(aq) + 2e Fe(s) Anode: X(s) X2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Ag+(aq) + e Ag(s) Anode: Al(s) Al3+(aq) + 3e Cathode: Ag+(aq) + e Ag(s) Anode: X(s) X2+(aq) + 2e Cathode: Al3+(aq) + 3e Al(s)

In electrochemical cell (1), Fe is oxidized to Fe2+ which means Fe is more reactive than Cu. So, Fe is higher in the series compared to Cu. Fe Cu In electrochemical cell (2), X is oxidized to X2+ which means X is more reactive than Cu. So, X is higher in the series compared to Cu. However, in electrochemical cell (7), X is oxidized to X2+ which means X is more reactive than Fe. So, X is higher in the series compared to Fe. X Fe Cu In electrochemical cell (3), Cu is oxidized to Cu2+ which means Cu is more reactive than Ag. So, Cu is higher in the series compared to Ag. X Fe Cu Ag In electrochemical cell (4) and (6), Al is oxidized to Al3+ which means Al is more reactive than Cu and Fe. So, Al is higher in the series compared to Cu and Fe. However, in electrochemical cell (10), X is oxidized to X2+ which means X is more reactive than Al. So, X is higher in the series compared to Al. X Al Fe Cu Ag Thus, the electrochemical series that can be constructed is as below. Theoretical Constructed Properties electrochemical series electrochemical series Ca X Increasing in reactivity Mg Al Al Fe Fe Cu Cu Ag Ag By comparing to the theoretical values1, the possible elements for X are Mg and Ca as both elements can lose 2 electrons in oxidation. However, X is said to be Mg as Mg is the nearest element to Al.
1

Geoff Neuss. IB Study Guide CHEMISTRY for the IB Diploma STANDARD AND HIGHER LEVEL. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. (p. 57)