Electrochemical Cells

5/4/2022
P3

Purpose
The objective of this lab is to determine the ksp of a certain solution of AgCl. This is to be
calculated by the oxidation-reduction experiments of many elements with each other, and
finding the voltage of each.

Materials
● Paper strips soaked in potassium nitrate solution (1.0M)
● Plastic tray with 24 wells
● 10 disposable pipette
● 2mL of 1.0M Cu(NO3)2
● 2mL of 1.0M Fe(NO3)2
● 2 mL of 1.0M Pb(NO3)2
● 2mL of 1.0M Mg(NO3)2
● 2mL of 1.0M AgNO3
● 2mL of 1.0M Zn(NO3)2
● 10mL of 1.0M NaCl
● 1mL of 1.0M KNO3
● Copper foil
● Iron sheet
● Lead foil
● Magnesium ribbon
● Silver foil
● Zinc strip

Procedure
1. Obtain a 24 well tray.
2. In two adjacent wells, use a disposable buret to transfer about 2mL of copper nitrate and
zinc nitrate.
3. Take a strip of paper that’s been soaking in potassium nitrate to use as a salt bridge
between the two.
4. Attach multimeter and dip into the two wells. Record.
5. Repeat the process with magnesium.
6. Repeat the process, with different combinations of each solution.
Data
Cu Fe .36 Zn Mg-.91 Zn Pb 0.29

Fe Mg1.09 Zn Cu.79 Ag Pb.90

Pb Cu.52 Zn. Ag.98 Cu Ag.38

Mg Cu 1.11 Zn Fe0.24 Zn Ag NaCl0.11

Part 1

Voltage of half-cell versus the zinc electrode

Voltage Anode Cathode

Zn versus Ag 0.98V Zn Ag

Zn versus Cu 0.79V Zn Cu

Zn versus Fe 0.24V Zn Fe

Zn versus Mg -0.91V Mg Zn

Zn versus Pb 0.29V Zn Pb
(higher number is cathode)

Predicted and Measured Cell Potentials

Anode Cathode Equation Predicted Measured
Potential from Potential
Experimental
Data

Fe Cu 2Fe3+ + 3Cu → 3Cu+ + 2Fe Cathode-Anode 0.36V

0.55V

Mg Fe 2Fe3+ + 3Mg → 3Mg2+ + 2Fe 1.16V 1.09V

Mg Cu Cu2+ + Mg → Mg2+ + Cu2+ 1.42V 1.11V

Pb Cu Cu2+ + Pb → Cu2+ + Pb2+ 0.50V 0.52V

Cu Ag 2Ag+ + Cu → 2Ag + Cu2+ 0.19V 0.38V

 Pb Ag 2Ag+ + Pb → 2Ag + Pb2+ 0.69V 0.90V

Part 2

Voltage Anode Cathode

Zn (s) | Zn2+(1.0M) || 0.79V Zn Cu

Cu2+ (0.0010M) |
Cu(s)

Equation for Cell Rxn Predicted Potential Measured Potential

Cu2+ Zn→ Cu + Zn2+ 0.70V 0.79V

Part 3
Voltage Anode Cathode

Zn (s) | Zn2+(1.0M) || 0.98V Zn Ag

Ag+ (unknown M) |
Ag (s)

Equation for Cell Rxn Calculated [Ag+] Calculated Ksp AgCl Reported Ksp AgCl

Ag+ + Zn→ Ag + 14.4 14.4 1.8E-10

Zn2+

Pre Lab Questions

1. The copper ion can be reduced the easiest.
2. The aluminum could be oxidized the easiest.
3.
a. Aluminum is the anode.
b. The oxidized ion is aluminum.
c. The battery voltage is 1.38+0.62 = 2.00V
d. Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu
Al → Al3+ + 3e-
3Cu2+ + 2Al → 3Cu + 2Al3+
4.
 a. Ksp = [Fe2+][OH-]2
8.0E-10 = [Fe2+][.01]2
[Fe2+] = 8.0E-6
b. It is a two electron process.
Fe → 2Fe2+ + 2e-
Ni2+ + 2e- → Ni
Fe + Ni2+ → Fe2+ + Ni
c. Nernst equation: E = Eknot - (.05916/2mol) log [Fe2+]/[Ni2+]
8.0E-6/1

E = Eknot - (.05916/2mol) log [Fe2+]/[Cu2+]

Ag = ksp

Calculations
Part 1
Reduction Equation Electrode Potential Accepted electrode Eknot zinc - Eknot
using Zinc as the potential using
Standard, Eknot Zinc hydrogen as
standard, Eknot

Pb2+ + 2e- → Pb 0.29V -.13V 0.48V

Fe3+ + 3e- → Fe 0.24V 0.77V -0.53V

Ag+ + e- → Ag 0.98V 0.80V 0.18V

Mg2+ + 2e- → Mg -0.91 -2.37V 1.46V

Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu 0.79V 0.52V 0.27V

Part 2
Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu
Zn→ Zn2+ + 2e-
The balanced equation for this cell in Part 2 is Cu2+ Zn→ Cu + Zn2+
E = Eknot-(0.05916/n) * log([Zn2+]/[Cu2+])

E = 0.79 - (0.05916/2) * log([1.0]/[0.001])

= 0.79-0.088 = 0.702V is the predicted potential. The measured voltage was 0.79V.
Part 3

Ag+ + e- → Ag
Zn→ Zn2+ + 2e-
Ag+ + Zn→ Ag + Zn2+

E = Eknot-(0.05916/n) * log([Zn+]/[Ag+]2)

0.47 = 0.98 - (0.05916/2) * log([1.0M]/[Ag+]2)

-0.48042 = log([1.0M]/[Ag+]2)nj
0.1444 = log(1) - 2log[Ag+]
0.24021 = log[Ag+]
1.73M = [Ag+]
Ksp = [Ag][Cl-]

Ksp = [Ag]

0.98 = 0.80-(0.0592/.0.38)log(1.0M/[Ag+]2)
=14.4 is the solubility product of AgCl.
7.1E-14

Post-Lab Questions
1. An electrode potential is the force created from a galvanic cell of a standardized
electrode (in this experiment, zinc) and another electrode.
2. The ranking of reduction values did agree with that in a published chart of E knot values.
3. The values found using the zinc electrode as a standard should be about 0.76V higher
to those in the Eknot table based on the standard hydrogen electrode. The measured
values did not follow this expectation; while they had higher values than those based on
standard hydrogen electrode, it was not to that extent.
4. Factors that could decrease the accuracy and precision include not properly allowing
time to measure the right amount of voltage, extra materials existing in the wells before,
or other substances being transported from using the same multimeter for each process.
5. A negative value for a standard potential indicates that rather than become reduced, the
solution will lean towards becoming oxidized.
6. With the change in concentration, the voltage was significantly higher. This change in
concentration would agree with LeChatelier’s Principle, which states that with a removed
concentration on one side of the equation would cause a depletion of the other side to
establish equilibrium once again. The calculated measures and values agree.
7. The AgCl solubility product was formed from the equation
E = Eknot-(0.05916/n) * log([Zn+]/[Ag+]2)
I substituted my values and simplified.
0.47 = 0.98 - (0.05916/2) * log([1.0M]/[Ag+]2)
-0.48042 = log([1.0M]/[Ag+]2)nj
0.1444 = log(1) - 2log[Ag+]
0.24021 = log[Ag+]
1.73M = [Ag+]
Ksp = [Ag][Cl-]

Ksp = [Ag]

0.98 = 0.80-(0.0592/.0.38)log(1.0M/[Ag+]2)
=14.4 is the solubility product of AgCl.

Conclusion
The lab went fairly well, considering time constrictions and lack of a partner to assist with
calculations or ensuring the experiment proceeded accordingly. Lack of accuracy could come in
part from not properly washing the multimeter in between recording voltages, and I could have
been more organized with my arrangement of solutions in their wells. From this experiment, I
learned how to determine the ksp of AgCl by measuring the voltages of other solutions with the
standard of zinc instead of hydrogen.