Units 28-29

Tsuen Wan Government Secondary School

S.5 Chemistry Homework
Unit 28: Chemical cells in daily life
Unit 29: Simple chemical cells

Name: ​ Austin Cheung ​ S.5 (A ) Class no. ​ 28 ​ Group:______ Date : ​13/9/20

1. Chemical cells can be used as a source of electricity. There are two different classes of chemical cells:
primary cells and secondary cells.
(a) What is the difference between primary cells and secondary cells?
Primary cells are not rechargeable, secondary cells can be charged.

(b) Give TWO examples for each class of chemical cells.

Primary cells: Zinc-carbon cell, Alkaline manganese cell.

Secondary cells: Lithium ion cell, Nickel-metal hydride cell.

(c) State and explain which primary cell is commonly used in portable radios.

Portable radios are a low-drained device. Zinc-carbon cell is used in it. It is because zinc-carbon cell is
suitable for low-drained devices.
2. Suggest a suitable chemical cell for each of the following uses, and justify your
answers.

(a) Digital watch: Sliver oxide cell, because it is small in size and lightweight.

(b) Mobile phone: Lithium ion cell, because it is lightweight and can be recharged over 1200 times.

(c) Electric toothbrush: Sliver oxide cell, because it is small in size and lightweight.

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Units 28-29
3. A student wanted to show that chemicals can be used to produce an electric current using the

following set-up. - + (crocodile clips)

When the crocodile clips were attached to certain parts of the set-up, the ammeter gave a reading.
(a) Show ​in the diagram ​where the crocodile clips should have been attached.
(b) Identify the direction of electron flow in the external circuit.

(c) What would happen when the porous cardboard container was replaced by a glass
beaker? Explain your answer.

Porous cardboard container prevents direct mixing of two electrolytes and complete the circuit.
If it was replaced by a glass beaker, zinc chemicals and sulphate chemicals will not be able
to mix together. The experiment will end up with no result.

(d) What would happen to the reading on the ammeter if the zinc rod and zinc chloride solution
were replaced by iron rod and iron(II) chloride solution respectively?

It shows that the voltage of cell is weaker when replaced zinc rod and zinc chloride solution to
iron rod and iron(II) chloride solution.
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Units 28-29
4. X, Y and Z are different metals. A student studied the tendency of X, Y, Z and nickel (Ni) to form ions
by setting up three chemical cells using the following materials and apparatus.

The results of the experiment are tabulated below.

(a) ​Explain the use of the filter paper strips in the experiment.
It is used to make salt bridge.

(b) ​The student had to use an additional instrument to determine the direction of electron flow in the external
circuit. Suggest a suitable instrument.
A digital multimeter can be used as voltmeter.

(c) ​Draw a labelled diagram to show the set-up for the experiment, using half-cells A and B.

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 Units 28-29
(d) ​Arrange X, Y, Z and nickel in the order of increasing tendency to form ions. Explain your answer.
Order of increasing tendency to form ions: Y, nickel, X, Z. Direction of electron flows from metal with higher
tendency to metal with lower tendency in the external circuit. Direction of electron flows from X to Ni, which
shows X has a higher tendency than Ni.
Direction of electron flows from Ni to Y which show Ni has a higher tendency than Y, which order of
tendency: X>Ni>Y. Last test shows that the direction of electron flows from Z to X, so X has the highest
tendency among all.

(e) ​What would be observed when a piece of nickel foil is immersed in a solution containing X​2+ ​ions?
Explain your answer.

No visible change will be observed. The nickel won’t have reaction with other chemicals.
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