UG Department of Chemistry

CHM 2205 Experiment #: 2

Title: Electrochemical Cells*

Reagents & Apparatus

1.00M Solutions of CuSO4, ZnSO4, Pb(NO3)2 and saturated KNO3

Metals Cu, Pb and Zn to be used as electrodes.
Water Baths for maintaining temperatures at 65°C, 55°C, 45°C, 35°C and room temperature,
50ml or 100ml beakers to be used as electrode compartments, 500ml volumetric flasks. Burettes
for dispensing the reagents. Paper towel to make salt bridges. Voltmeters

Procedure

Each group will work at one of the five temperatures. The group will investigate the electrode
potential of the cells with the following electrode combinations: Cu/Zn and Pb/Zn
1. Set up the redox cell with the above listed electrode combinations. Each group will make
electrolyte combinations of 1.00M, 0.10M, 0.01M, 0.001M, 0.0001M. Read the cell
potential of each cell when the electrolytes are at the required temperature.
2. Set up two concentration cells using electrolyte concentrations of 1.00M, 0.01M and
0.001M at room temperature.

Record each value in an appropriate table. Collect the results from the other groups for each
temperature and record in the same table.

Data Treatment

1. Write the cell diagrams

2. Calculate (estimate) dE/dT
3. Calculate ΔrG°, ΔrS°, ΔrH° for each cell. State which concentration gives the value
closest to the literature for the standard cell value.
4. Calculate the activity coefficients of each half cell solution.

*. Adapted from “Electrochemical Cell” by Alfred Bhulai 1998.