Lab Report

Electrochemistry: Voltaic and Electrolytic cells

by Josiah Richardson

Lab Partners: Kenny Nguyen Professor David Haas

Lab Day and Start Time: Date Experiment Performed: Date Lab Report Submitted:

Tuesdays 1:40pm April 23rd, 2013 May 2nd, 2013

Introduction In this lab, we created an electrochemical cell using a 9-volt battery to cause the electrolysis of a sodium iodide solution. Using the nernst equation, we will determine the cell potential for various concentrations and determine whether our experimental results coincide with the actual experiment. The nernst equation is as follows:

Eo RT ln Q

where E is the potential of the cell. nF Eo is the potential of the cell R is the gas constant 8.314

at standard conditions J/mol-K T is the temperature in Kelvin n are the moles of electrons transNirred F is Faradays constant (96500 Coulombs/mole) and Q is the reaction quotient (products/reactants) At standard condtions (25 C, 1 ATM, 1 Mol) we will use the nearst equation which is as follows:

Ecell = Ecell - 0.05916 log [products]p n

[reactants]r

We will use these aforementioned equations and the forthcoming materials to accomplish our goal of creating and analyzing our electrochemical cell.

Materials
black and red coated wire with alligator clips pipet zinc strip, lead strip copper strip, nickel strip DC voltmeter Phenolphthalein

0.50 M KNO3, 0.10 M ZnSO4, 0.10M NiSO4, 0.10 M Pb(NO3)2, 0.0020 M ZnSO4, and 0.10 M CuSO4 plastic cups

9-Volt battery with terminal

Safety glasses

Procedure Electrochemistry: Voltaic and Electrolytic cells, CHEM 102 General Chemistry Lab Experiment April 2013. The laboratory procedure in the worksheet was followed without modification. Data PART 1:
1. Zn / Zn+2(0.10M) // Cu+2(0.10M) / Cu without the salt bridge 0.00 V

2. Zn /Zn+2(0.10M) // Cu+2(0.10M) / Cu with the salt bridge 1.07 V 3. Pb / Pb+2(0.10M) // Cu+2(0.10M) / Cu with the salt bridge 0.85mV 4. Ni / Ni+2(0.10M) // Cu+2(0.10M) / Cu with the salt bridge 0.02 V 5. Zn / Zn+2(0.0020M) // Cu+2(0.10M) / Cu with the salt bridge V 1.07

Table 1. Voltage of compounds data

Figure 2. An Electrolytic Electrochemical Cell

Results and Discussion We observed many amazing chemical reactions in this laboratory experiment. We watched as one of the metal alligator clips fizzed when we hooked it up to the 9-volt battery and the other corroded as if it was rusting at an exponential rate. When we added the phenolphthalein to the solution it changed the solution to a pink color coming from one of the alligator clips, telling us that the clip that was corroding was being reduced and the other clip that fizzed was being oxidized.

Conclusion In this lab, we learned how to draw an electrolytic cells and determine what is being oxidized and what is being reduced. We also learned how to write

the shorthand notation for the electrochemical cells. We used various solutions with their compounds and hooked them up to a 9 volt battery and recorded our observations. To solve equations where we needed to find the standard potentials of the cells, we used the nearst equation and the nearnst equation, respectively. Out of all the laboratory experiements that we have been a part of, this one was the most pre-knowledge based. My overall experience was an enjoyable one and I look forward to future labs of the same magnitude.