TOPIC 6 : ELECTROCHEMISTRY

1. Plan a laboratory experiment to construct the electrochemical series based on the potential
difference between two metals. You are given copper (II) sulphate solution, Mg, Zn, Fe, Pb
and Cu strips. or Describe a laboratory experiment to construct the electrochemical
series of magnesium, copper, zinc and lead. or construct the Electrochemical
Series by referring to the potential difference of four pairs of metals.

(a) Aim:
To construct the Electrochemical series based on the potential difference
between two
metals.
Statement of problem:
How does the Electrochemical series be constructed based on the
potential difference between two metals?
(b) Variable
Manipulated
: pair of metal
Responding : potential difference / voltmeter reading/ voltage value
Fixed
: electrolyte (copper (II) sulphate solution/ / positive (copper)
(c) Hypothesis :
The further the distance between two metals in the Electrochemical series,
the higher the potential differences/ voltage/ voltmeter reading.
(d) Substances : copper (II) sulphate solution 0.5 mol dm-3 , Mg, Zn, Fe, Pb and
Cu strips, sand paper
Apparatus: beaker, connecting wire with crocodile clip, voltmeter
(e) Procedure
:
1. Clean the metals with sandpaper
2. Pour 50.0 cm3 copper (II) sulphate solution into a beaker.
3. Dip / immerse the Mg and Cu strip into the beaker.
4. Complete the circuit // connect the electrodes to a voltmeter
using connecting wire with crocodile clip.
5. Record the potential difference / voltmeter reading.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 using Zn, Fe and Pb to replace Mg.
(f) Tabulation of data:
Pair of metal
Zn and Cu
Mg and Cu
Fe and Cu
Pb and Cu

Potential difference, V

Diagram 2.1 Battery [voltaic cell / electrochemical cell]

2. Diagram shows several electrochemical cells with different voltages. Identify the factors
that influence the differences in the voltage.
Plan a laboratory experiment to construct an electrochemical cell to determine one factor that
influences the differences in the voltage.
(a) Statement of problem:
How does //Does the position /distance between two metals in electrochemical series
affect the voltmeter reading / voltage/ potential difference?
(b) Variable
Manipulated : pair of metal
Responding : potential difference / voltmeter reading/ voltage value
Fixed
: electrolyte (name) / positive terminal (name) /
volume and concentration of electrolyte
(c) Hypothesis :
The further the distance between two metals electrode in the Electrochemical Series,
the higher the potential differences/ voltage/ voltmeter reading.
d) Substances : copper (II) sulphate solution 0.5 mol dm-3 , Mg,Zn, Fe, Pb and Cu strips,
sand paper
Apparatus
: beaker, connecting wire with crocodile clip, voltmeter
(e) Procedure : 1. Clean the metals with sandpaper
2. Pour 50.0 cm3 copper (II) sulphate solution into a beaker.
3. Dip / immerse the Mg and Cu strip into the beaker.
4. Complete the circuit // connect the electrodes to a voltmeter using
connecting
wire with crocodile clip.
5. Record the potential difference / voltmeter reading.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 using Zn, Fe and Pb to replace Mg.
(f) Tabulation of data:
Pair of metal/electrode
Zn and Cu
Mg and Cu
Fe and Cu
Pb and Cu

Potential difference, V

3. Diagram 6.1 and 6.2 show Experiment I and Experiment II to investigate

the effect of type of electrodes on the products formed at the electrodes.
Experiment I

After 30 minutes
Carbon electrodes
0.01 mol dm-3 copper(II)
sulphate solution

Carbon electrodes
0.01 mol dm-3 copper(II)
sulphate solution

Diagram 6.1

Experiment II
After 30 minutes

Copper electrodes
0.01 mol dm-3 copper(II)
sulphate solution
Diagram 6.2
Based on Diagram 6.1 and Diagram 6.2 above, plan a laboratory experiment to investigate the effect
of the type of electrode to the product at anode.
(a) Aim :
To determine the effect of type of electrode on the selection of ions to be discharged at the
anode/ on the product formed at the anode.
(b) Variable:
Manipulated variable:
Type of electrodes//Carbon electrodes and copper electrodes
Responding variable:
Product formed at anode
Fixed variable:
Electrolyte// copper(II)sulphate solution

(c) Hypothesis:
When carbon electrodes are used, bubbles/oxygen gas released at anode, when copper
electrodes are used, anode becomes thinner/ionised

(d) Materials:
Copper(II) sulphate solution (0.5 2.0) mol dm-3, copper rods,
Apparatus:
Carbon rods, electrolytic cell, battery, ammeter, connecting wires, test tube
(e) Procedure:
1. Half filled the electrolytic cell/beaker with copper(II) sulphate solution
2. A test tube filled with copper(II) sulphate solution is inverted over the anode carbon electrode
3. Both electrodes are connected to the batteries using connecting wires//Complete the circuit
4. Record the observations at the anode
(f) Tabulation of data:
Type of electrodes
Carbon
Copper

Observation at anode

4 . The concentration of the electrolyte will affect the products formed at the
electrodes during electrolysis. By using different concentration of sodium
chloride solution, design an experiment to investigate the above statement. or
investigate the effects of concentration of ions on the selective discharge of ions
at the electrodes

Problem statement:
How does the concentration of the electrolyte (sodium chloride solution)
will affect the
products formed at the anode electrode during electrolysis?
Variable:
Manipulated: concentration of the electrolyte (sodium chloride solution)
Responding: products formed at the anode
Fixed: carbon electrodes, sodium chloride solution, blue litmus paper
Hypothesis:
When concentrated sodium chloride solution is used, greenish yellow gas
released at the
anode, when diluted sodium chloride solution is used,
colourless gas released at the anode.
Apparatus and Substances:
Carbon rods, electrolytic cell, battery, ammeter, connecting wires, test tubes
1.0 mol dm-3 sodium chloride solution, 0.0001 mol dm-3 sodium chloride
solution, litmus paper
Procedure:
1. Half filled the electrolytic cell/beaker with 1.0 mol dm-3 sodium chloride
solution.
2. A test tube filled with 1.0 mol dm-3 sodium chloride solution is inverted
over the anode carbon electrode.
3. Both electrodes are connected to the batteries using connecting
wires//Complete the circuit
4. Record the observations at the anode.
5. Repeat step 1-4 by using 0.0001 mol dm-3 sodium chloride solution.
(f) Tabulation of data:
Concentration electrolyte
/ sodium chloride
solution
1.0 mol dm-3
0.0001 mol dm-3

Observation at anode // Product at anode

5. Describe a laboratory experiment to extract lead from lead(II) oxide by using electrolysis.
or
The displacement reaction is a chemical change which takes place when a metal placed
higher in the electrochemical series displaces a metal below it from its salt solution.

Iron displaces
copper from its salt
solution because it is placed higher than copper in the electrochemical series. Based on this
principle, plan a laboratory to construct the electrochemical series.
Problem statement:
How to construct the electrochemical series of metals based on the displacement of metals?
Hypothesis:
The greater the number of metals that can be displaced by a metal from their solutions, the
higher is its position in the electrochemical series.
Variables :
Manipulated : pair of metal and salts solution used
Responding : the number of displacement reactions occurred
fixed : concentration and volume of solution.
Apparatus: test tube, test tube rack
Materials: 1 mol dm-3 of magnesium nitrate, zinc nitrate, lead(II)nitrate, copper(II)nitrate
solution. Magnesium, zinc, lead, and copper strip.
Procedure:
1. Pour 5 cm3 1 mol dm-3 of magnesium nitrate, zinc nitrate, lead(II)nitrate, copper(II)nitrate
solution solutions into four separate test tubes.
2. Place a strip of magnesium ribbon into each test tube.
3. Record the observation.
4. Repeat step 1-3 using zinc, lead and copper to replace the magnesium strip. For each
repetition, use a fresh salt solution.
5. Record all observations.

Tabulation Data:
solution
salt

Magnesium
nitrate

Zinc nitrate

Metal
Mg
Zn
Pb
Cu

Lead(II) nitrate

Copper(II)
nitrate

TOPIC: ACIDS AND BASES

Glacial ethanoic acid, CH3COOH is dry. It only shows
acidic properties when water is added to it.

1.

Plan a laboratory experiment to investigate the role of water in showing the properties of
acids.
(a) Statement of problem:
Does an acid need water to show its acidic properties?
(b) Variable
Manipulated : type of solvents (water and tetrachloromethane/ propanone)
Responding : properties of acid / change in colour of blue litmus paper
Fixed
: type of acid (ethanoic acid), litmus paper

(c) Hypothesis
:
Water is needed for an acid to show its acidic properties // An acid will show its
acidic
properties when dissolved in water.
* Operational definition: Blue litmus paper turning red when water is added to
glacial
ethanoic acid indicates acidic properties.
(d) Materials:
Glacial ethanoic acid, distilled water and tetrachloromethane/ propanone, blue itmus
paper
Apparatus:
Test tube, droppers, test tube rack
(e) Procedure:
1. Label three test tubes as A, B and C. Place the test tube in a test tube rack.
2. Put 2 cm3 glacial ethanoic acid into each test tube using dropper.
3. Add 2 cm3 distilled water in test tube B
4. Add 2 cm3 tetrachloromethane/ propanone in test tube C.
5. Place dry blue litmus paper into the test tubes.
6. Record the observation.
(f) Tabulation of data
Test tube / solvents

Observation

A
B / distilled water
C/ tetrachloromethane/ propanone

2. An experiment is carried out to measure the pH values of hydrochloric acid

having different molarities.
Plan a laboratory experiment to investigate the relationship between pH values
and molarity of the acids.
Sample answer:
Statement of the problem:
How does the molarity of the acids affect the pH values?
Variable:
Manipulated : molarity of acid
Responding : pH value
Fixed : hydrochloric acid, pH meter
Hypothesis : When the molarity of the acid increases, the pH value decreases.
Materials : 0.1 mol dm-3 , 0.01 mol dm-3, 0.001 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid
Apparatus : beaker, pH meter, measuring cylinder.
Procedure:
1. pour 50 cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid into a beaker,
2. Dip pH meter into the acid.
3. Record the pH meter reading.
4. Repeat step 1 to 3 by using 0.01 mol dm-3, 0.001 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid.
Tabulation data:
Molarity of acid, mol
dm-3
0.1
0.01
0.001

pH value