Galvanic Cells, The Nernst Equation: de Juan, Jarell P

Experiment 32
Galvanic Cells, the Nernst Equation

De Juan, Jarell P. A18
Prof. Medarlo De Jesus 9/27/2019
Abstract
Galvanic cells, also known as voltaic cells, are electrochemical cells in which spontaneous oxidation-
reduction reactions produce electrical energy. In writing the equations, it is often convenient to separate
the oxidation-reduction reactions into half-reactions to facilitate balancing the overall equation and to
emphasize the actual chemical transformations. Consider what happens when a clean piece of copper
metal is placed in a solution of silver nitrate as soon as the copper metal is added, silver metal begin to
form and copper ions pass into the solution. The blue color of the solution on the far right indicates the
presence of copper ions. The reaction may be split into its two half-reactions. Half-reactions separate the
oxidation from the reduction, so each can be considered individually.
Introduction
Galvanic cells, according to the lab manual, are the “spontaneous” transfer of cells, which are separated
into two compartments called half cells, it also uses a salt bridge, which is a paper with salt solution, that
connects two half-cells to complete the solution part of an electrical circuit. It forces the separations of
metals and ions and forces them to pass through a wire, thus reducing its ions. The reaction that is
happening is called a reduction-oxidation reaction, which cause one electron to move to another half-cell.
The half-cell where the reduction is happening can be found in the cathode, while where oxidation is
happening is found at the anode, the anode is the negative part of the cell, while the cathode is the
positive side, also the cell potential of a galvanic cell is the difference of the two metals to oxidize and to
be brought back. In an electrochemical process, the oxidation half reaction always takes place at the
anode. The site of the reduction reaction is defined as the cathode.

Methodology
A. Reduction Potential of Several Redox Couples
Collect the electrodes, solutions, and equipment. Obtain 4 small -50 mL beakers and fill them ¾’s full of
0.1 M. Polish strips of copper, zinc, magnesium, and iron metal with steel wool or sand paper, rinse
briefly with dilute -0.1 M KNO3 and rinse with deionized water. Set up the copper-zinc cell by placing a
Cu strip in the CuSO4 solution then roll and flatten a piece of filter paper then filter it with 0.1 M KNO3
solution. Fold and insert the ends of the filter paper into the solution in the two beakers. Set the
multimeter to the 2000-mV range or as approximate. Connect one electrode to the negative terminal of
the multimeter and the other to the negative to the positive terminal. Determine the copper-zinc cell
potential. If the multimeter reads the negative potential, reverse the connection to the electrodes. Read
and record the positive cell potential. Identify the metal strips that serve as the cathode (positive terminal)
and the anode. Repeat the remaining cells by determining the cell potentials for all possible galvanic cells
that can be constructed from the four redox couples. Prepare the new salt bridge for each galvanic cell.
Determine the relative reduction potentials by assuming the reduction potential of the Zn2+ (0.1M)/ Zn
redox couple is -0.79 V. calculate the reduction potentials of all the other redox couples. Lastly determine
the reduction potential of the unknown redox couple by placing a 0.1 M solution and electrode in a small
beaker. Then determine the reduction potential, relative to the Zn2+ (0.1 M) Zn redox couple, for your
unknown redox couple.
B. Effect of Concentration Changes on Cell Potential
Set up the galvanic cell using 1 M CuSO4 and 0.001 M CuSO4 solutions. Immerse a polished copper
electrode in each solution, prepare a salt bridge to connect the two half-cells. Measure the cell potential
and determine the anode and the cathode. The effect of complex formation. Add 2- 5 mL of 6 M NH3 to
the 0.001 M CuSO solution until any precipitate redissolves. Effect of precipitate formation, start by
adding 2-5 mL of 0.2 M Na2S to the 0.001 M CuSO, now containing the added NH3. Then record your
observations.
C. The Nernst Equation Changes on Cell Potential
Prepare the diluted solutions, start by preparing solutions 1 through 4 using a 1-mL pipet and 100-mL
flask. Be sure to rinse the pipet with the more concentrated solution before making the transfer. Use
deionized water for dilution of the mark in the volumetric flask. Then calculate the concentration of the
Cu2+ ion for each solution recorded. Measure and calculate the cell potential for solution. Set up using a
small beaker -50 mL beakers the same time also calculate the cell potential for solution 3 and 2 to
determine the data needed respectively to the potential solution needed in the experiment. Plot the data
that are gathered from the measurements provided during the experiment to determine the concentration
of the unknown by obtaining CuSO solution with an unknown copper ion concentration by using the
graph.
Results and Discussion
Reduction Potentials of Several Redox Couples
Galvanic Cell Ecell Anode Equation for Anode Half- Cathode Equation for Cathode
Measured Reaction Half- Reaction
Cu-Zn 0.173 Zn Zn→ Zn+2+ Ze−¿ ¿ Cu Cu+2+ 2 e−¿ ¿→Cu
Cu-Fe 0.652 Fe Fe→ Fe+2 2 e−¿ ¿ Cu Cu+2+ 2 e−¿ ¿→Cu
Zn-Fe 0.680 Zn Zn→ Zn+2 2 e−¿¿ Fe Fe+2 +2 e−¿¿→Cu

Galvanic Cell Ecell For the Redox Reduction Potential Reduction Potential % Error
Measure Couple (experimental) (theoretical)
d
Cu-Zn 0.713 Cu2+/Cu -0.077 0.31 25% error
Zn-Fe 0.680 Fe+2/Zn -0.11 -0.47 23% error
Zn-Zn 0 Zn2+/Zn -0.79v -0.79 0.00
The Nernst Equation and an Unknown Concentration
Number Solution Concentratio Ecells -log [Cu2+ ], pCu Ecells calculated

n of Cu(NO3)2 experimenta
l
1 N/A 0.043 1 0.3155
2 N/A 0.005 N/A 0.3345
3 N/A 0.013 N/A 0.3305
4 N/a 0.018 N/A 0.328
Conclusion
The purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate the different relationships between cell potentials and
the various values that are calculated with the cell potential value. In addition, the concentration of the
solution affects the value of cell potential proportionally. Never the less, the slope was used to find a
negative change in entropy value, which led to a cell which is only spontaneous at low temperatures. s
reaction, it convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Thus, each redox couples produces different
cell potential. Electrons are moving from higher potential energy to lower potential energy. Factors
affecting cell potentials are dominated by molar concentration of solution, followed by complex
formation and then, the precipitate formation. Increasing the concentration of product, Ecell will
decreases.

Galvanic Cells, The Nernst Equation: de Juan, Jarell P

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Galvanic Cells, The Nernst Equation: de Juan, Jarell P

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Galvanic Cells, The Nernst Equation: de Juan, Jarell P

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Experiment 32

Galvanic Cells, the Nernst Equation

Prof. Medarlo De Jesus 9/27/2019

oxidation from the reduction, so each can be considered individually.

anode. The site of the reduction reaction is defined as the cathode.

A. Reduction Potential of Several Redox Couples

unknown redox couple.

B. Effect of Concentration Changes on Cell Potential

C. The Nernst Equation Changes on Cell Potential

Results and Discussion

Reduction Potentials of Several Redox Couples

Cu-Zn 0.173 Zn Zn→ Zn+2+ Ze−¿ ¿ Cu Cu+2+ 2 e−¿ ¿→Cu

Cu-Fe 0.652 Fe Fe→ Fe+2 2 e−¿ ¿ Cu Cu+2+ 2 e−¿ ¿→Cu

Zn-Fe 0.680 Zn Zn→ Zn+2 2 e−¿¿ Fe Fe+2 +2 e−¿¿→Cu

Measure Couple (experimental) (theoretical)

The Nernst Equation and an Unknown Concentration

Number Solution Concentratio Ecells -log [Cu2+ ], pCu Ecells calculated

2 N/A 0.005 N/A 0.3345

3 N/A 0.013 N/A 0.3305

4 N/a 0.018 N/A 0.328

You might also like