Course Name: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Course Code: CHM 431

Title of Experiment: EXP 2: ELECTROCHEMISTRY: ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

AND THERMODYNAMIC FUNCTION

Name: NUR ARINA DAYANA BT NAUFAL 2015149645

Name: SHERLYANA BT MANIKA 2012128819

Name: MOHAMAD ARIZAN B MD ARIFF 2015495169

Group: ED260 3A

Lecturer: DR. MOHD SUFRI B MASTULI

Introduction
Objective
Procedure
Date of Experiment: Result
Discussion
Date of submission:
Conclusion
Refrences
Title:

Electrochemical Cell and Thermodynamic Function

Objective:

1. To construct the electrochemical cells

2. To determine the net cell potentials for three electrochemical cells
3. To calculate the net cell potentials based on the potentials of the half-reaction
that occur and compare your experimental and calculated values
4. To measure the Gibbs energy based on the cell potentials

Introduction:

The use of electrochemical cells is to convert the Gibbs energy stored in the
constituent half- reaction into electrical work is of enormous industrial as well as
fundamental significance. We have all used batteries and these are simply galvanic
cells that are similar to those you will be constructing the experiment. These are the
typical electrochemical cell.

The standard reduction potential is quantitative measure of a substances tendency to

accept electrons under standard conditions and is measured in volts. For the half-
reaction that represents the oxidation of a metal, you can determine the standard
oxidation potential (Eox) for the half-reaction. The standard oxidation potential for
aluminum metal is +1.65 V. The standard cell potential (Ecell) is the sum of the
standard oxidation and reduction potentials as shown below:

Ecell = Eox + Ered

For nickel-copper electrochemical cell, you would start off by placing a strip of nickel
into a nickel(II) salt solution. It should be pointed out that all of the solutions are
aqueous. You would then place a strip of copper into a copper (II) salt solution. Te
next step is to connect one end of a wire to the nickel strip and the other end to the
copper strip. Electrons will pass through this wire between the nickel and the copper
strip. If you wanted to predict which direction the electron would flow through the
wire, you can look up the standard reduction potentials for the nickel and copper. The
Ered value nickel ion is 0.26V and + 0.34 V for copper ion. This means that the
Cu2+ ion has greater tendency to accept electron than the Ni2+ ion. Therefore the
electron will pass through the wire from the nickel strip to the copper strip. However,
this can only happen if a second connection is provided to complete the electrical
circuit.

This second connection is called a salt bridge and is placed in both solutions of the
two containers. You now have an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell is as
system that utilizes a spontaneous oxidation-reduction reaction to pump electrons
through an electrical circuit. This system is composed by 2 parts of half cells. The
metal strips are called electrodes. The electrode in half cell were oxidation occurs is
called anode and the reduction is called cathode.

The cell potential can be measured by connecting a voltmeter between half cell.
Since copper half-cell is undergoing reduction, the half reaction will be represented
as reduction and nickel half-cell will have the oxidation

Cu2+ (aq) + 2e Cu (s) Ered = + 0.34 V

Ni(s) Ni2+ (aq) + 2e Eoxi = 0.26 V

Cell Reaction: Ni(s) + Cu2+ (aq) Ni2+ (aq) + Cu (s) Ecell = +0.60V

For measurement taken under non standard conditions, the Nernst equation is used
to calculate Ecell. The Nernst Equation is:

E=E -RT/nF ln Q

Where F us Faraday constant, R is universal gas constant, n the number of electrons

transferred and Q is the reaction quotient.

Thermodynamics

The Gibbs Free Energy (G) is the function derived from entalphy and entropy. The
change is free energy in free energy ( G) is a composite function that gives a
measure of the spontaneity of a reaction. If G < 0, a reaction will occur
spontaneously, if G > 0, the reaction is not spontaneous. If G = 0 the sustem is at
equilibrium.

G = H - T S

Where T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin.

For general reaction or process of A and B giving products C and D

aA + bB cC + dD

the reaction quotient, Q, is:

Q = [C]c [D]d / [A]a [B]b

The G of a process at any concentration of A,B,C,D is given by

G = G + RT ln Q

G is the change in free energy of the reaction under the defined standard
conditions of 1 atm and 1 M concentrations of reactants. G is observed change in
free energy at conditions other than standard. At equilibrium Q = K eq and G = 0.
Under these conditions equation becomes

G = - RT ln Q

The cell potential of a redox process is related to the free energy change as follows

G = -nFE

In this experiment, you will construct three electrochemical cells, a zinc copper cell an
iron copper cell and iron zinc cell. You will obtain your experimental or net cell
potential and then compare this value to the standard net potential you will calculate
for each cell writing equation of the half- reactions and the net reaction as well. The
Gibbs energy which is one of the thermodynamic function also will determined from
the cell potentials obtained

Apparatus

Test tubes
Pipettes
Standard flasks
High resistance voltmeter
Aligator clip

Chemical

0.5 M potassium nitrate solution

0.10 M zinc (II) sulphate solution
0.20 M copper (II) sulphate solution
0.50 M iron (II) ammonium sulphate solution
Zinc metal strips
Copper metal strips
Iron strips
Procedure

Salt bridge is constructed by dipping a filter paper in 0.5 M KNO3 solution

Part I: Constructing the Zinc-Copper Electrochemical Cell

1. 0.10 M zinc(II) sulfate and 0.20 M copper(II) sulphate solutions is filled into two
clean test tubes
2. Zinc and Copper strips is cleaned using steel wool
3. Alligator clip is used to clip copper strip to one voltmeter terminal and another
alligator clip is used to clip the zinc strip to other voltmeter terminal. The
copper strip is dipped in the test tube contained copper solution and the zinc
trip is also dipped in the test tube contained zinc solution at the same time.
4. The readings of the voltage is recorded for each cell and the anode and
cathode of the cell is identified
5. The temperature is recorded
6. New salt bridge is used for each cell

Part II: Constructing the Iron-Copper Electrochemical Cell

1. 0.50 M iron(II) ammonium sulphate solution is filled about full into a clean
test tube
2. The iron strips is cleaned using steel wool. The iron strips is connected to one
terminal of voltmeter as before. The copper strip is kept from Part I is attached
to the other terminal
3. The metal strips is dipped into the proper solution and connected using salt
bridge as before,
4. The readings of the voltage is recorded for each cell and the anode and
cathode of the cell is identified

Part III: Constructing the Iron-Zinc Electrochemical Cell

1. The iron strip attached to the voltmeter is kept, the zinc strip in Part 1 is
replaced with the copper strip in Part II
2. The metal strips are dipped into the proper solution. The salt bridge is
connected as before.
3. The readings of the voltage is recorded for each cell and the anode and
cathode of the cell is identified