Lab report

Electrochemical cells

Name: Narynbek Gilman

Group number: 31

Partners name: Yerassyl Orazbek

Date of Experiment: Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Word count: 1199

Aim

A purpose of the practical work is to find values of electromotive force (e.m.f.) in cells of
zinc/iron, zinc/copper, iron/copper, and to explore changes of e.m.f. in zinc/copper cell
by changing a concentration of Cu(aq)2+

Introduction

Redox reactions are one of main types of chemical reaction. In these reactions there
are a losing the electron or electrons by one element, which is oxidized and gaining the
electron or electrons by another element, which is reduced. A study which investigates
this class of reaction is called electrochemistry.

As there is a component electro, electricity, which is caused by transfer of electrons

from a reducing agent to an oxidizing agent, is certainly mentioned. Moreover, if these
agents are separated, connected only with electrodes, a wire, and salt bridge, there will
be created an electrochemical cell. In its turn, the electrochemical cell is divided by two
groups: voltaic or galvanic cells and electrolytic cells. Galvanic cells convert a chemical
energy to an electrical energy and electrolytic cells do a conversion oppositely. In this
practical, there were used the galvanic cells. [1]

Galvanic cell consists of two half-cells, external circuit and salt bridge. Each half-cell
contains an electrode, which is a metal, and salt of the metal in aqueous form. The
electrode, which is a place of oxidation, is called the anode and the electrode, at which
reduction takes place, is the cathode. A salt bridge, which connects the two half-cells,
balances charges in each of these by conducting ions which prevent excess of charges.
[2]

There are some factors which affect the value of cell potential, such as nature of the
electrode, its opportunity to accept electron under standard conditions and
concentration of reactants and products. However, this laboratory work is directed to
investigate an effect of the concentration change. [3]

Risk assessment

Chemicals Hazard Precaution

Zn(s) low no need to take special
Cu(s) low measures
CuSO4(aq) irritating, burns mouth and wearing lab coats, gloves
stomach and glasses, not tasting it
ZnSO4(aq) irritating lab coats, gloves and
FeSO4(aq) irritating, a little bit toxic glasses
KNO3(aq) irritating, explosive lab coats, gloves and
glasses, keeping away it
from other reactants
Fe(s)(iron nail) spinous being careful with a tip

Procedure
Experiment 1: Reaction between Zn and Cu2+
There was taken a clean test tube and it was filled to a 2 cm depth by copper
sulfate solution.
Some zinc powder was added to the solution by a spatula. Any changes in the
tube were recorded.
Experiment 2: Constructing a zinc/copper cell

Zinc and copper foils were cleaned by emery paper.

They were connected by external wires and a high resistance voltmeter.
The foils were then immersed in solutions of 1.0 M ZnSO 4(aq)(25 cm3) and
CuSO4(aq)(25 cm3), which were in two beakers
A strip of filter paper was soaked in saturated KNO 3(aq) and its ends were placed
in the solutions, creating a salt bridge.
There were predicted polarities of the metals, and then e.m.f. value was
measured and recorded by the voltmeter.

Experiment 3: Constructing a zinc/iron cell

The copper electrode was substituted by a clean iron nail.

Instead of copper sulfate solution there was poured 1.0 M FeSO 4(aq)(25 cm3) into
the beaker.
A new salt bridge was used.
Polarities of the electrodes were predicted before switching-on of the voltmeter.
The voltmeter was activated and new value of cell potential was measured and
recorded.

Experiment 4: Constructing an iron/copper cell

The cell was constructed by linking the similar Fe/Fe2+ and Cu/Cu2+ half-cells
which were used in previous two experiments.
The iron nail and copper foil were cleaned by the emery paper and put into their
solutions.
A clean salt bridge was used.
Polarities of the metals were predicted and e.m.f. value was measured and
recorded.
o
Experiment 5: Effect of concentration on Ecell

Zn/Cu cell was set up corresponding to the setting up in the Experiment 2,

though by utilizing 0.001 M CuSO4(aq)(25 cm3) instead of 1 M CuSO4(aq).
There were measured and recorded values of cell potential using 0.01 M, 0.1 M
and again 1 M CuSO4 solutions(25 cm3).
There were used fresh salt bridges and were cleaned zinc and copper by the
emery paper in each measurement.
Results

Experiment 1:

Reaction Observations
CuSO4 + Zn = ZnSO4 + Cu 1. A test tube became warmer.
2. There was formed a brown precipitate.
3. The solution was decoloring.

Experiments 2-4:

Experiments Polarity (Prediction) E0cell / V

2 Zn/Zn2+ Cu/Cu2+ +1.062
Negative Positive
(anode) (cathode)
3 Zn/Zn 2+ Fe/Fe2+ +0.398
Negative Positive
(anode) (cathode)
4 Fe/Fe 2+ Cu/Cu2+ +0.621
Negative Positive
(anode) (cathode)

Experiment 5:

Concentration / M Cell potential (Zn/Cu)/ V

0.001 +0.973
Cu2+ 0.01 +1.001
0.1 +1.027
1 +1.049

Discussion

1. Zn(s)+Cu2+(aq) = Cu(s)+Zn2+(aq)

Oxidant

The reaction between the zinc and copper sulfate solution is a simple example of redox
reaction. Zn is being oxidized by losing two electrons, while Cu 2+ is being reduced by
gaining these two electrons. In this case, Cu2+ is the oxidant, because it oxidizes Zn and
the zinc is respectively reductant.
2. Zinc/iron cell (experiment 3):
Zn(s) + Fe2+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) + Fe(s)
Zn is anode, Fe2+ is cathode.
Iron/copper cell (experiment 4):
Fe(s) + Cu2+(aq) Fe2+(aq) + Cu(s)
Fe is anode, Cu2+ is cathode.

The polarity of the electrode is connected with the standard reduction potential table.
If a value of a metal potential is higher than a value of another potential, the metal
will be a cathode and if it is vice versa, the metal will be an anode. That explains why
iron was the cathode in Experiment 3 and the anode in Experiment 4.

3. E0cell vs log10[Cu2+] graph with data from the Experiment 5.

Effect of the concentration on the cell potential

1.06

1.05

1.04

1.03
E0cell/V

1.02

1.01

0.99

0.98

0.97

0.96
-3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
log10[Cu2+]

The graph above represents how the value of the e.m.f. decreases as the
concentration of the copper sulfate solution was decreased and these trends are
straightly proportional. The reason is that by decreasing the concentration a number
of ions, which balances the charges in the half-cells, also decreases. It means that
less ions are which replace electrons and positive ions. Therefore, there will be a
less flow of electrons in the circuit which will lead to declining of the value of the
voltage.

4.
Experiment Theoretical value of E0cell Practical value of E0cell/V
number
2 EZn/Cu = ECu - EZn = 0.337-(-0.763)=1.1V +1.062

3 EZn/Fe = EFe - EZn =(-0.44)-(-0.763)=0.323V +0.398

4 EFe/Cu = ECu - EFe = 0.337-(-0.44)=0.777V +0.621

As it can be seen from the table above, there are some differences in the theoretical
and measured values of the cell potential. There are some possible reasons which may
cause these deviations.

Firstly, it is very probable that there were not fully clean metals or beakers. It could
change a composition of each half-cell, by remaining some particles of previous
solutions. However, regular cleaning of equipments can help to avoid the errors.

Moreover, the standard conditions were not ideally kept. Also, instability of voltmeter
scale was probable cause of the errors in the values.

Conclusion

The practical achieved the overall aim by finding the values of the cell potential in three
cells. In addition, the concentration of the solution affects the value of cell potential
proportionally.

Reference list

1. Msu.edu. 2007. Lab 10: Redox Reactions. Accessed October 29, 2015.

https://www.msu.edu/course/lbs/172l/Lab10-S06-Electrochemistry.pdf

2. Uccs.edu. n.d. UCCS Chem 106 Laboratory Manual. Accessed October 29, 2015.

http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/chemistry/nsf/106%20Expt9V-GalvanicCell.pdf

3. Tussupbayev, Renat. 2015. Cell Potential and Applications Of Electrochemistry.

Lecture. Nazarbayev University.