Electrochemical Cells

March 17, 2014

Chemistry Student
Lab Partner

Purpose:
The purpose of this experiment is to create a table of reduction potentials using zinc as a
standard, measure voltage using a diluted solution, and to measure voltage while determining the
solubility product constant of silver chloride; to create a better understand of electrochemical
cells.

Procedure:
The first part involves measuring copper, iron, lead, magnesium, and silver versus zinc to
determine reduction potentials in electrochemical cells. The second part uses a diluted Cu+2
concentration measured against zinc in order to measure voltage. Finally, the third part uses a
solution containing small amounts of silver ions connected to a zinc half-cell in order to measure
voltage.

Data:
Part 1
Voltage of Each Half-Cell versus the Zinc Electrode
Voltage (V) Anode Cathode
Zn versus Ag 0.73 Zn Ag
Zn versus Cu 0.42 Zn Cu
Zn versus Fe 0.41 Zn Fe
Zn versus Mg 0.28 Mg Zn
Zn versus Pb 0.12 Zn Pb

Predicted and Measured Cell Potentials

Anode Cathode Equation for the Cell Predicted Measured
Reaction Potential from Potential
Experimental
Data
Mg Cu Mg+Cu+2Mg+2+Cu 2.71 0.35
Cu Fe 2Fe+3+Cu2Fe+2+Cu+2 0.43 0.07
Fe Ag Fe+2+Ag+Fe+3+Ag 0.03 0.74
Mg Ag Mg+2Ag+Mg+2+2Ag 3.17 0.41
Pb Cu Pb+Cu+2Pb+2+Cu 0.47 0.15
Cu Ag 2Ag++Cu2Ag+Cu+2 0.46 0.45

Part 2
Voltage Anode Cathode
Zn(s)Zn+2(1.0 M)Cu+2(0.0010 M)Cu(s) 0.71 Zn Cu

Equation for Cell Reaction Predicted Potential Measured Potential

Zn + Cu+2 Zn+2 + Cu 0.33 V 0.71 V
E=Ecell-.0592/2 * log([Zn+2]/[Cu+2])
E=.42-(.0592/2)*log(1/.001)
E= 0.33

Part 3
Voltage Anode Cathode
+2 +
Zn(s)Zn (1.0 M)Ag (unknown M)Ag(s) 0.56 Zn Ag

Equation for Cell Calculated [Ag+] Calculated KspAgCl Reported KspAgCl

Reaction
Zn + 2Ag+ 8.56x10^-5 M 11694.994 1.77 x 10^-10
Zn+2+2Ag

Calculations: Some of the calculations are under their corresponding data tables
Part 1:
Reduction Equation Electrode Potential Accepted Electrode Ezn-E
using Zinc as the Potential using
standard Hydrogen as Standard
Ag+ + e- Ag 0.73 0.8 -0.07
Cu2+ + 2e- Cu 0.42 0.34 0.08
3+ 2+
Fe + e- Fe 0.41 0.77 -0.36
2+
Mg + 2e- Mg 0.28 -2.37 2.65
Pb2+ + 2e- Pb 0.12 -0.13 0.25
2+
Zn + 2e- Zn 0 -0.76 0.76V
Part 2: Below table
Part 3:
.56=.8-.0592/2(log(1/x^2)
-.24=-.02963(-2logx)
8.136=-2logx
-4.068=logx
X= 8.56x10^-5 M
Ksp=[Zn+2]/[Ag+]
Ksp=(1)/(8.56x10^-5)
Ksp=11694.994

Conclusions:
It can be concluded from this experiment that various metals when measured against a zinc half-
cell have different measured voltages. Concentration also plays a role in voltage in
electrochemical half-cells. The solubility product constant can be related to these cells by
creating a precipitate and measuring a half-cell against another, as was done in this experiment.
The principles of electrochemistry were tested and demonstrated throughout this experiment.

Discussion of Theory:
Electrochemical cells work based on oxidation-reduction reactions. When oxidation and
reduction occur, electrons move; movement of electrons is electricity. This movement can be
measured with a voltmeter as it produces a voltage. This process is used as a way to generate
electricity for a wide array of appliances. Oxidation involves losing an electron and reduction
involves gaining an electron. The anode contains what is oxidized and the cathode contains what
is reduced. Electrons flow from the anode to the cathode accordingly. This reaction is
spontaneous and requires two separated half-cells connected by a salt bridge; the spontaneity
indicates that the cell potential, E, will be positive. A standard table was constructed based on the
zinc half-cell in this experiment in order to test these theories. The Nernst equation was also
relied on heavily; it relates cell potential, temperature, the gas constant, the number of electrons
transferred, the Faraday constant, and the reaction quotient.

Experimental Sources of Error:

The most common error in this experiment was the measurement of voltage, which was
measured incorrectly due to improper voltmeter use. This produced varying voltages throughout
the experiment and was the least precise of the data. The molarity of the copper solution was also
not exactly 0.001 M; although it was mixed properly there was still a concentration difference.
The solution of silver chloride may not have been mixed properly; however, this is the most
minimal and unlikely error. There were certainly errors with the measurement of voltage
throughout because the values do not agree with what is reported in most cases. Repetitions of
this experiment would require more attention to measurement.

Questions:
1. An electrode potential is the voltage that a half-cell versus a standard half-cell generates.
The standard is typically hydrogen.
2. No, the rankings did not agree. Silver was at the top, but Pb was at the bottom instead of
Mg. A sign of an error in the experiment.
3. The values found using the zinc electrode should be higher because Zinc is assigned a
potential of -0.76 and Hydrogen is assigned a value of 0. Zinc was the anode in most
cases, so 0.76 was added to their values, increasing them.
4. Several factors can cause a difference in experimental and reported values, including
incorrect measurement. Some solutions of other metals could have contaminated the
solution being tested, which would cause an error in experimental values. The voltmeter
could also be damaged or not work correctly, further leading to differing values.
5. A negative standard potential indicates that oxidation is easier than reduction for that
particular cell.
6. The decrease in concentration agrees with LeChateliers principle because the voltage
increased; however, this increase was much higher than what the calculated value
showed.
7. The concentration of Ag+ was found using the Nernst equation. Because the concentration
of zinc ions was known and now the newly calculated Ag+, the ksp could be found by
plugging into the expression: ksp=[Zn+2]/[Ag+].