Practical 5 Aim Materials : To investigate the effect of concentration on the electromotive force of a cell : EC1 is 1.

0 mol dm-3 aqueous copper(II) nitrate EC2 is 2.0 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate EC3 is 1.0 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate EC4 is 0.1 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate EC5 is 0.01 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate EC6 is 0.001 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate A saturated solution of potassium chloride : 2 V accumulator, potentiometer, jockey, zinc plate, copper plate, 100 cm3 measuring cylinder, 100 cm3 beaker, filter paper, galvanometer, connecting wires with crocodile clips :

Apparatus

Procedure

1. By means of measuring cylinders, fill beaker A with 50.0 cm3 of EC1 and beaker B with 50 cm3 of EC2. 2. Immerse a strip of filter paper into the saturated solution of potassium chloride; then dip the ends of the filter paper into the two beakers A and B to build a salt bridge. 3. Clean the copper and zinc plates with sandpaper, wash with distilled water, and dry. 4. Clip the copper plate with the crocodile clip and connect it to the end of the potentiometer to which the positive terminal of the accumulator is connected. 5. The zinc metal is connected to a galvanometer to which a jockey is attached. 6. The negative terminal of the accumulator is then connected to the other end of the potentiometer as shown in Figure 5. 7. Dip the two metal plates into their respective solutions. After one minute has elapsed, touch the jockey along the length of the potentiometer wire until the galvanometer shows a zero reading indicating no current flow. Do not slide the jockey along the length of the potentiometer wire to avoid a build up of resistance. 8. Note down the length of the potentiometer wire as x cm and record your readings in the table below. 9. Repeat the experiment above by replacing solution EC 2 with solutions as shown in the table below. New filter paper is to be used for every new solution. 10. Calculate Ecell using the following formula.

X E cell = ___________________________ X Length of potentiometer wire

2V

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Figure 5: The effect of concentration on the electromotive force of a cell

Results : Length of potentiometer wire = cm Experiment Beaker A 1 2 3 4 5 50 cm3 EC1 50 cm3 EC1 50 cm3 EC1 50 cm3 EC1 50 cm3 EC1 Beaker B 50 cm3 EC2 50 cm3 EC3 50 cm3 EC4 50 cm3 EC5 50 cm3 EC6 Length of wire, x/cm Ecell/ V [Zn2+] /moldm-3

Questions: 1. Write a cell diagram for the electrochemical system. (2m)

2. Write half-life equations for the reactions taking place in beakers A and B and hence write an equation for the overall cell reaction. (2m) 3. Plot a graph of Ecell against lg[Zn2+] in beaker B and explain how the emf of the cell varies with the concentration of Zn2+ in beaker B. (5m) 4. Explain what will happen to the Ecell value if (i) the solution in beaker A is replaced with 0.1 mol dm-3 aqueous copper(II) nitrate, (3m) -3 (ii) the solution in beaker B is replaced with 0.1 mol dm aqueous aluminium chloride, and the plate of zinc metal is replaced with aluminium metal? (3m)

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