Experiment 4: Electrochemistry

Objective:

1. To explain the concept of electron flow, anions and cations.

2. To determine the relative potential of reduction for the redox reactions.
3. To describe the effect of concentration to the cell potential.
4. To calculate the Avogadro’s number and faraday constant by electrolysis process.

Introduction:

All electrochemical reactions involve in the transfer of electrons and are therefore “oxidation-reduction.
When a piece of copper (Cu) is placed into an aqueous silver ion (Ag2+) solution, the copper atoms will
spontaneously released electrons (oxidation). Silver ions will move toward copper and receive electrons
(reduction), which are released by copper to form a layer of silver atom in inter phase metal/solution
copper. The formation of the copper ions will be moved out from the inter phase to the solution. As
result, the blue colour of the solution turns darker.

Overall reaction: Cu(s) + 2Ag+(aq) 2Ag(s) + Cu+2(aq)

Redox reaction above can be separated to half reaction of oxidation and reduction. Every single half
reaction is called redox pair.

Oxidation half reaction equation: Cu(s) Cu2+ + 2e-

Oxidation half reaction equation: 2Ag+(aq) + 2e- 2Ag(s)

Oxidation reaction occurred at the anode and reduction reaction occurred at the cathode. Since electrons
transfer occurs spontaneously, one set of galvanic cell can be designed by separations of the redox pair.
Electrons transfer does not occur in the inter phase anymore, but through an external circuit. The two
halves of the redox reaction are separated in two different containers (such as beaker) and named half-
cell. A common kind of half- cell consists of a piece of metal (the electrode) immersed in a solution of
its ions. The electrons are connected with a wire. The circuit between the two solutions is completed
with a salt bridge. A salt bridge allows electrical contact between the two half-cells, internal circuit. It
maintains the electrical neutrality in each half-cell as ions flow into and out of the salt bridge. "Pored
pot" also serves the same function as the salt bridge.
Cell potential (Ecell) for a galvanic cell, is the potential difference (emf; electromotive force) between
reduction and oxidation half-cells. Potentiometer is used to measure cell potential (E c el l), values
obtained represent the difference of probability between metal ions in each cell through reduction.

Section A: Galvanic cell

Chemicals
Copper, zinc, magnesium and iron metal
0.1M copper sulphate, zinc, magnesium, and iron salt solution.

Apparatus
50 ml beaker, wire, sand paper, voltmeter, and filter paper

Procedures
1. Set the electrochemical cell.
2. For the copper/ zinc cell, the copper plate was put into 50ml 0.1M CuSO4 solution and zinc plate
into 50ml 0.1M ZnSO4 solution. Roll up a piece of filter paper and wet with 0.1M KNO3. Place
one end of wet filter paper in the half beaker Cu/Cu2+ and the other one end in the half cell
Zn/Zn2+.
3. The cell potential of Cu/Zn was determine by connecting the two ends of wire to copper and zinc
electrode. If the voltmeter gives negative reading, do change the connections. The positive
reading was recorded.
4. Steps 1, 2, and 3 was repeated and used a new salt bridge.

Section b: Cell potential

Chemical

Zinc metal, copper metal, 0.1M, 0.1M and 0.001M CuSO4 solutions

6M NH3 solution and 0.2M NaS solution.

Apparatus

50ml beaker, wire, sand paper, voltmeter and filter paper

Procedures

1. Set an electrochemical cell.

2. Copper used as the electrode.
3. Effect of molar concentration:
Use 0.1M CuSO4 and0.001M CuSO4 solution as half-cell couple. The cell potential was
measured.
4. Effectof complex formation:
2-5 ml, 6.M NH3 was added to 0.001M CuSO4 cell until precipitation appeared.
5. Effect of precipitation;
2-5ml NaS was added into 0.001M CuSO4 half-cell, which contains NH3.

RESULTS AND DATA

Section A

Electrochemical Cell Cell Potential/emf, Volt(v)

CuSO4 and ZnSO4 0.46V

Section B

Electrolyte Concentration, M Emf, V

0.1M & 0.001M 0.03V

Addition of 5ml NH3 0.37V

Addition of 4ml Na2S 0.97V

Action Changes

Addition of 5ml NH3 Solution turn from light blue to light purple

Addition of 4ml Na2S Solution turn from light purple to brown

Section A: Galvanic Cell

1. Identify anode and cathode electrodes for each reaction.

voltmeter

2. Write half-cell equation for each reaction.

𝑍𝑛(𝑠) → 𝑍𝑛2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 2𝑒 − (anode)
𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 2𝑒 − → 𝐶𝑢(𝑠) (cathode)

3. Write overall reaction equation for each reaction

𝑍𝑛(𝑠) + 𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) → 𝑍𝑛2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 𝐶𝑢(𝑠)

4. Give two reasons why reduction potential readings are difference from theory.
 The metal used as a cell may be contaminated
 The concentration of chemical used may not be precise
Section B: Cell Potential

1. Identify anode and cathode electrode in step 1.

2. Write half-cell equation.

𝐶𝑢(𝑠) → 𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 2𝑒 − (anode)
𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 2𝑒 − → 𝐶𝑢(𝑠) (cathode)

3. Write overall reaction equation.

𝐶𝑢(𝑠) + 𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) → 𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 𝐶𝑢(𝑠)

4. Explain why there is a potential in step 2?

According to Le Chatelier's principle, increase in concentration must cause the equilibrium to
move to the left-hand side making the electrode potential more positive. And a decrease in
concentration must have the opposite effect i.e. make it more negative. (The Student Room
website, 2007 )
5. Explain why potential changed with the addition of NH 3(aq)?
NH3 will bind with the Cu2+ ion to form the complex ion Cu(NH3)42+. This has the effect of
reducing the concentration of the Cu2+. Therefore, it will increase the potential between the two
concentrations.

6. Explain why potential changed with addition of Na 2S?

S2- will bind with the Cu2+ ion to form the insoluble salt of CuS. This has the effect of reducing
the concentration of the Cu2+. Therefore, it will increase the potential between the two
concentrations.
DISCUSSION

For section A, a galvanic cell was set up by connecting a half cell of CuSO4 with half cell of ZnSO4
using salt bridge. The electrode for the cells are copper rod and zinc rod respectively. The salt bridge
used to connect between the two half cell is a filter paper soaked in 0.1M KMnO4. The cathode rod in
this reaction is copper rod where reduction process occurs while the anode is Zinc rod where oxidation
occurs. The electrons will flow from anode to cathode resulting electrical potential detected using
voltmeter. The theorotical electrical potential between the two electrolyte is 1.10V while the electrical
potential we collected from the experiment is 0.46V. the experimental result is much lower from the
theoretical value because of several reasons. The first one is the electrode may have been contamianted.
We cannot conform that the electrode are the pure form of the metal. It may have been oxidized due to
exposure to air and water. The second is the solution produced may have not the exact of measuremnet.
The concentration may have been lower form what we expected. Therefore, the result should be lower
than the theoretical value.

For section B, the interaction of half cell by changing the means of its concentration was studied for
the first step. From the equation, 𝑍𝑛(𝑠) + 𝐶𝑢2+ (𝑎𝑞) → 𝑍𝑛2+ (𝑎𝑞) + 𝐶𝑢(𝑠) , we can predict that there should
be no potential between the two cells because there is no change in the system. Due to the difference in
the concentration between the half-cell, the solution reacted to balance the concentration thus creating
the electrical difference. When we added NH3 to the 0.001M solution, we are reacting the Cu2+ in the
solution thus decreasing the amount of Cu2+ available. The decreasing of Cu2+ thus increasing the
difference of concentration. To balance the system more Cu(s) was corroded from the plate thus
increasing the electrical potential. The same case happens when we added Na2S into the solution. The
changes in colour from adding of NH3 is due to the formation of copper ammonia complex. The colour
changes when Na2S was added are due to the formation of CuS salt
CONCLUSIONS

From the experiment, we are able to explain the concept of electrons flow, anions and cations. Besides
that, we also able to determine the relative potential of reduction for the redox reactions which in this
experiment is between Zn and Copper which is 0.46V. we cannot get the theoretical value due to several
errors. We also able to describe the effect of concentration to the cell potential.

REFERENCES

Bockris , O. J., & Despić, R. A. (2011, December 15). electrochemical reaction. Retrieved November
24, 2017, from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/electrochemical-
reaction
Shakhashiri, Z. B. (1983). Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry, Volume
3. Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.
The Student Room website. (2007 , March 7). Effect of concentration on electrode potential . Retrieved
from The Student Room website: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=360208