Project 4: ElectroChemistry

Background Information:

Introduction

Electrochemistry is a study of science that correlates electricity to chemical changes and with the interactions between chemical and electrical energy.

Galvanic Cells or Voltaic Cells are electrochemical cells in which spontaneous redox reactions produce electric potential. The electrical potential is created through the separation between two half cell reactions.

Oxidation is associated with a loss of electrons

Reduction is associated with a gain of electrons.

Anode Electrode is associated with the oxidation in an electrochemical cell.

Cathode Electrode is associated with the reduction in an electrochemical cell.

Inert Electrode allows the current to flow without participating in the redox reaction in an electrochemical cell. In our case, Carbon.

A Salt Bridge is used to facilitate the transference of electrons between the oxidation and reduction half cells.

Methods

Week 1:

-Using 1 M HCl for inert electrode (C), it will be used in the solution with the same metal as the rod used.

-A 24-well plate will be used to set up half cell reactions in week one.

-Copper, Lead, Iron, and Zinc will be tested with carbon.

- Carbon and lead must be wiped with a towel before calculating the voltage, all other metals must be sandpapered prior to testing

-The two samples in the well plate must be close and connected via a salt bridge, and its cell reaction potential can be determined.

-The half cell reduction potential of each metal must be determined in order to correctly connect the electrodes to the anode and cathode of the multimeter.

-The multimeter must be connected to a device, and the metals must be inserted into the proper solution containing the metal and its values were recorded.

Experimental Details

Methods: Week 2

-Week two aims to find the electrical potential of galvanic cells in the half cell reaction

-Using the half cell reactions, we can determine which anodes and cathodes will be used in the well.

-By using the metals, we can use the dilution formula to create our salt bridge

-Zinc was used as the primary anode. Copper, lead, and iron were used as the cathode

-The anode and cathode were both diluted from 1 M to .5 M by mixing 10 ml of the solution with 10 ml of water.

-The solution was diluted to .75 M by mixing the 10 ml solution in 3.33 ml of water.

-Lead and carbon were wiped with a paper towel between trials

-The anode, zinc, was sandpapered before every trial along with iron and copper.

-Using paper, the salt bridge was created and the multimeter recorded 3 trials of zinc reacting with copper, lead, and iron.

-The values were recorded and put into a results table.

Safety:

Safety

KCl - Potassium Chloride - 74.5513 g/mol

Hazards - harmful is swallowed, causes eye irritation, skin irritation, toxic to terrestrial vertebrates.

Handling - minimize dust, wash hands, do not eat.

Personal Protection - wear PPE.

Cu(NO3)2 - Cupric Nitrate - 187.56 g/mol

Hazards - intensify fire, harmful if swallowed, skin irritant, serious eye damage, toxic to aquatic animals.

Handling - wash hands, adequate ventilation

Personal Protection - wear PPE

Zn(NO3)2 - Zinc Nitrate - 189.36 g/mol

Hazards - intensify fire, skin irritation, serious eye irritation, may cause respiratory irritation.

Handling - prevent formation of aerosis

Personal Protection - wear PPE

Topic 3

Results

Discussion/Conclusion

Discussion/Conclusion

The purpose of this experiment was to construct various electrical batteries in order to find the best metal pair that would produce the highest usable electrode potential (Ecell) or "voltage." Our results conclude that out of our created galvanic cells, the pairing of Zinc and Copper produced the highest voltage with an average of 0.95 V; with the concentrations being 0.75M and 1M, respectively. We found that the pairing of Zinc and Iron produced the weakest voltage with an average of 0.42V. With the concentrations being 0.75M and 1M respectively. So, in conclusion the pairing of Zinc and Copper resulted in the highest electrode potential and therefore would prove to be the most effective battery.