Results and Discussion

The Entropy of Mixing Experiment illustrated that entropy follows the 2nd Law of
Thermodynamics in an isolated system. The end result was to create two cells with
concentration difference in each of the two cell that is isolated as a result of a salt bridge. The
bridge is formulated using 2.5109 g of agar and 3.7996 g of KCl that was mixed and heated in
the hood than end product was a gel and fed thru rubber tubes (around 12 cm).Each of the 2
cells consisted of different concentrations (M) of potassium ferrocyanide and
potassium ferricyanide, thru dilution. Remember, each cell is a half reaction that in isolation
and the combination of two half reactions needed to determine the overall standard potential
().This is called an electrochemical reactions. When mixing occurs in an isolated system,
the process is also spontaneous. Mixing, generally will increase entropy because its isolated
and each of the two cells having same constant temperature (approx. room temp in lab was 25
C or 298.15 K), constant pressure, and volume of 50 mL in each of the 2 total half cells (Half
Cell A =Half Cell B). Overall, 5 Cells consisting of equal volume of half-cell A and B are used and
each are separated by a salt bride (KCl and Agar solutions). The experiment consisted of one
trial (5 Cells) using 0.1000 M stock solutions and trial 2 (5 Cells) solution that is 0.0100 M as a
result of dilution.
Table 1
Cell

Concentration

M2

E (V)

0.1 M

.1

.0961

0.1 M

.2

.06963

0.1 M

.3

.03807

0.1 M

.4

.02066

0.1 M

.5

.00025

Cell

Concentration

M2

E (V)

0.1 M

.1

.11298

0.1 M

.2

.07322

0.1 M

.3

0.0599

0.1 M

.4

0.02728

0.1 M

.5

0.00084

Table 2

Graph A: From Table 1

E mixing vs Xb

y = 0.1992x2 - 0.3618x + 0.1317

R = 0.9969

0.12
0.1

E (volts)

0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Xb [0.1M]

Graph B: From Table 2:

E mixing vs Xb

y = 0.0524x2 - 0.3017x + 0.1396

R = 0.9847

0.12
0.1

Axis Title

0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

Xb[0.01M]

0.4

0.5

0.6

Our Next step was to carry out an oxidation/redox half reactions:

Cell Potential:

Oxidation:
(Anode)

Reduction:
(Cathode)

4Fe (CN)6 3Fe (CN)6 +

= - 0.77 V

3Fe (CN)6 + 4Fe (CN)6

= + 0.77 V

Balanced:
= 0.00 V
We also have to take in consideration other constants/variables in order to calculate EMF and
the overall entropy in this isolated system:
E= EMF (V) which is the cell potential under specific conditions
= cell potential at standard-state conditions
R (ideal gas constant) = 8.314 J/mole-K
n = number of moles of electrons transferred in oxidation/redox reaction
F (Faradays constant) = 95,484.56 C/mole which is the charge on a mole of electron
ln Q = the natural log of the reaction quotient at the moment in time
T= temperature (K)
All these constants make up the Nernst Equation which is used to find the cell potential during
reactions that is not under steady state.
Nernst Equation:

E= 0 - ln ( )2

The entropy of mixing was than obtained using a definite integral from x=0 to x=0.5 using are under the
curve.
0.5

Area under curve=0.1 0.1992 2 - 0.3618x + 0.1317 = 0.0175 for [0.1 M]

= 5.662 J/K

0.5

Area under curve=0.1 0.0524 2 -0.3017x +0.1396 = 0.0218 for [0.01M]

=7.055 J/K

Class Data (4 data):

Concentration [M]

Standard Deviation

RSD%

[0.1 M]

Average (J/K)
5.91357

1.27878

21.62%

[0.01 M]

6.31178

0.62038

9.83%

Our Data vs class RSD % average:

[0.1 M] : 5.662 J/K 21.62 %

[0.01 M] : 7.055 J/K 9.83 %

Both of our concentration were under tolerance according RSD% . For the [0.01 M] was slightly
off of the desired RSD range with the rest of class so it was less precise. For the [0.1 M], we had more
precise when comparing with the rest of class.