Galvanic Cells

The galvanic cell supplies energy in that it utilises

stored chemical energy to produce electrical energy

Diagram of Galvanic cell Daniel cell

By definition the anode is the electrode in which

onidation occurs The cathode is the electrode in
which reduction occurs

we can also use the mnemonic

AN OIL RIG CAT

ANode Oxidation Is Loss Reduction Is Gain CAThode

Note This redon reaction is described as a spontaneous

 There are three types of electrodes
Electrodes made out of metal generally used for
where the metal is reduced form eg cu't I cu
Electrodes made out of inert electrodes eg.pt graphit
where both the ouidised and reduced form are aqueous
e
g Fest Fest
Electrodes made out of an inert electrode and
gas chamber where one of the terms is gaseous e.g HalHt

What is the purpose of the salt bridge internalcircuits

The salt bridge balances the charge in the cell
Without it the cell will be polarised as electrons
would accumulate in one half of the cell preventing
any further current passing through

Extra L The salt bridge must have free mobile

charges a soluble salt that is inert in that it
doesn't form a precipitate or react with one of
the reactants A very good one is KNO rags
 How a Galvanic cell operates
The galvanic cell is designed so that half reactions
occur in separate compartments of the cell
Because the onidising
agent and the reducing agent
do not come in direct contact with each other

electrons can be transferred through the enternal

circuit connecting the Cave and C Ive electrodes

Drawing and Labelling a Diagram of a Galvanic cell

In all Galvanic Cells electrons

flow through the enternal
circuit from the anode to
the cathode
Anions flow inthe internal
circuit to the anode and
and the cations flow towards
the cathode
The Electrochemical Series

The electrochemical series is a set of reduction

half equations in order of increasing reactivity
The further up you go in the electrochemical series
the greater the tendency for the reduction half equation
to occur

Note these half equations can occur in any direction

In a the stronger reducing agent

galvanic cell
is in the half cell with the negative electrode
anode The stronger ouidising agent is the half cell
with the positive electrode cathode

Potential difference CEO

a current flows in a galvanic cell because one half

cell has a greater tendency to push electrons into

the external circuit than the other half cell

Which causes a
potential difference voltage to
exist between the two half cells

Note Potential differences of a cell is measured under

1barClouupa 1M
 Standard Electrode Potential

Note It is impossible to measure the potential

difference of an isolated half cell because
oxidation and reduction must take place for a

potential difference to exist

Therefore assign a standard half cell

we can

potential CEOs to each half cell by connecting the

cells to a standard reference half cell measuring the
voltage produced

A hydrogen half cell Htcag 1712cg under

standard conditions is used for this purpose
as
its E value is arbitarily assinged to 0 This is
known as the standard hydrogen half cell or a
standard hydrogen electrode

The standard electrode potential of other

half cells may be measured by connecting
them to a standard hydrogen half cell
 Fe Hoag the Fees EO 0.44W

The standard electrode potential gives a numerical

measure of the tendency of a half cell reaction
to occur as a reduction reaction

The Electrochemical series

Predicting Cell reactions

Remember the half equation that is higher

in the electrochemical series Goes forward and the

other one Is reversed as a consequence

Also note that the positive electrode will

be in the half cell with the higher to value
whereas the negative electrode will be the other
half cell

Example Question

Snhteagst de f Sness O 14 V game

Nih Cag t 2e E Nics 0.25 V Swap
Cathode reduction Sn't cagst 2e Snes
anode onidation Ni Ni Heagy the
overall equation Nics t Shhtcag Sncsst Ni Tag
direction from
Calculating the voltage of a cell

cell potential difference Eoof halfcell Eod halfcellat

V of ouidisingagent reducing agent
higher half cell EO Lower half cell Eo

A reaction is said to be spontaneous if the EO of

cell is positive

The EO cell the relative potential at two half

is

equations and gives an idea of the event of the

reaction C NOT THE RATE

Limitations of the Electrochemical series

Gives noindication of reaction rate
Eo valves written in the electrochemical series are

written assuming SLC conditions

Everyday Sources of Power

Primary cells Are non rechargeable cells meaning they go

flat when the cell reaction reaches equilibrium

Why are they non rechargeable Because the products migrat

away from the electrodes after reaction or because
the products are consumed by the side reactions occurring in
the cell preventing the cells from being recharged

Example Primary cello Zinc carbon C Leclanche cell

In this case the zinc case is the anode and the

carbon electrode is the cathode

The salt bridge completing the circuit here is the

ammonium chloride electrolyte paste
 At the anode C I
Zn cs 2h2 cag the
At the cathode Ct
2mn02 es t2NH4tcag the Mn Oges 1 INHgcag t HzOa

Here the electrons get sucked off the Zness at

the anode travel out of the C we terminal travel
around the electrical circuit arrive at the Clive
terminal and get accepted by Mn02

Secondary Cells Are re chargeable and are also know

as accumulators

How are they rechargeable because the products

remain in contact with the electrodes after
reaction

Most types of rechargeable cells can

go through
many hundreds of recharges To recharge a
cell the cell reaction must occur in reverse

meaning the products of the reaction must be

converted back into it's original reactants

How By connecting thecell to a charger which has a potential

difference difference
 g

Discharging
Okidation at C we terminal Canuck
reduction at CtJvc terminal cathode

Recharging
Okidation at CHve terminal Ccathode
reduction at C Ive terminal anode
Example of secondary Cell Lead acid accumulator

Whilst the cell is discharging when the cell is being

used as a galvanic cell using its stored chemical
energy to produce electricity the reaction equations
are

Anode C Pb cs t 11504 cag Pbs04 t Hteagit2e

athode Ctl PbOa es t HS04 cap 1 3Htc apt 2e Pbs04cgthHz

Note that the reactants are Pbcs and PbOa es in this

battery The product Pbsoc remains in contact with the
electrodes When the cell recharges the opposite reaction
occurs
cathode C Pb804cg t Htcag the Pbcso t Hsoy cap
Anode Ct Pbs04 t2 thou Pb02cg t HS04 a t3HIaagt2e
Battery Life

Battery life is the number of charge discharge cycles

before a battery becomes unusable

Battery capacity is the amount of charge available

The rate of deterioration of a battery depends

on temperature the higher the temperature
the faster the deterioration occurs

As the battery operating temperature rises the rate

of the side reactions increase and the battery life
becomes shorter
 the rates of reactions fall as
B Conversely because

temperature decreases batteries can deliver less

electric charge at a specific discharge rate under
cold conditions and battery capacity decreases

Side reactions and deterioration continue even

when batteries are not in use in a process called
self discharge

Note The life of a battery that is not in use can be

entended by
storing it at a low temperature in
a fridge which slows down the side reactions