Calculating cell potential (Eeenl

1. Consider an electrochemical cell (a.k.a. galvanic cell, voltaic cell, battery) with Zn(s) and
0.25 M Zn(N03)2(aq) in one compartment and Cu(s) and 0.25 M Cu(N03h(aq) in the other
compartment.

a. Calculate the cell potential (EMF, voltage) at 298 K.

Reduction (cathode): Cv""(C%"\) -t f1---:, (u (S 1

Oxidation (anode): C.III (S) -:IJ (0/1 'l*(Oq, of p-
Net (overall cell reaction): 2""(51 t C\.)1.""co.o.)~-ZIl)H(oe;)+(u«5) EOcell= -\- I.IQO V

EcelJ ~celJ- (0.0592/n)10g Q = (. 100 V - q'OI 1J.C

V te~(ll ;: ~ .IClO V1~ 'SroV;t-q(\fOJ)
""-.:.2
( e\..e1.A ~L.. tLl<j I~ ~ t a s+o....dnrd c"tH) ~ ~eol~~
~:,(.odt~ l \~ 0. stq",;-rd C~\ I \o~ co lise Q::. \ ~ )
b. What would be the cell potential if the concentration of Zn(N03)2 was increased to
2.5 M?

(}:: ~ ~ ~ = tu
[Cu"l.'l (J.1...C;

Ec.dl = (. l 00 V -
Q.05\12 vi
2.
lC().J (I()) := f.o 76 V
A ((j-fo\~ 1V'\<-~qS~ lll\ G< ~slAts \11\ a \.R."') 'S~(l v(Jttq("~~ C~·~.

c. Calculate the equilibrium constant (at 298 K) for the overall cell reaction.

6~O: - V\ F E: .. \l ;. -(2)( q6 IS-cO ':,\}( (.IOD ;1';: - 2 (1/ ,CO ,..~(

-=- -112.3 0
~c..'
(2l1.? t:.s(.w.i) t6.2, I "f)( iG·'3 :iJe 2~1 k:) ._ ~i
I(
, .
~ - I.G'1><IO

g~c:qU ~tA+ E<-elt:::. a u,)4tJ\ ~ 'f(.OC+ICJ-\ t") tl{ ~\..Jl LlorwifV'( 6)-::.. ~ ')
pl\J~ ~\'S \)o.l~ c~ ~~t:\ \""+0 t~ N~jN7+ ~<l['-lQt-,oV) ~.",d
~t.\) ~"'(,u{6 ¥t- E'~tI=: d. Now yt/\J Co.VI s~~ w"'~ \t to.~.Q.5
c ~u~ cJ,,<:t~ Lv.. ~ tc::. ~C-"""~ E~tI ~\1lAl ~,co.J.I~,
6
 2. Consider a voltaic cell with Cr(s) and Cr3+(aq) in one compartment and Zn(s) and Zn2\aq) in
the other compartment.

a. Draw and label a diagram of this cell.

t l~"'l C.,-) cr... '2."", (~ t~ QV\od~.
LIA t'5 VV'c~ ct<.hl..R. J-'

'--------~.013 \lJ~
N"," "---:p

2~
ZV\(')~-:It -Z.., 41-e- cr3+-(Qct)4,t-~ er(')')

( T~ \le:,\ tG,<J~ o.S'S\J~" -tL..c..-+ ~ ':. \ )

b. Calculate the standard cell potential and the equilibrium constant for the overall reaction.

re.d : 1)( (c("" '3+(Q~) + ., e- --1' Cr (')) £:.."l.::' -O.'1t/ V

0)(, '. ?i~ ( """ZV\ Co:; ') ~ "ZVl
"2.+
(0<'".,1 t 1~)
- \
Ec.o",od =- - 0.1
,"2") V
;4 2-t £~ ;:. +a 02) V
It\~t: :'''2.11'\(')) + 2C'(" (O-q)~ ?,L"" (o~l+ 2crC-:';' e~1l \ . l )
t..-.,. 5 rVl+Q",e(jU~ (100.1":. L-)

tl:/' - V\ t E:..\ ~ -(6') (qbISOO~ c.O"2., Ie i ~ ;:. - I"h,n ~I

~r
:: - t3.:' J.. ;;l

_ l:/s'C./'f."T.. 1~."'1 ~ ji,'{'b ~:\ ~

1< ~C\ -:: ~ ;: e. - 2 t s­
( NCJ-t~: o..t Lct~ k."} 12- l' ::. 1.~~ \::1'
/'"'.,.\ \

E~", t~()'-1 t, -t~~ lj 0""

t dl~~re-<~ lVl t~ ~d~C;~I<',""" Io<.t~",,·h::Js I
,..
J '"'
<:
..J
"",co II

~ ~~c..+toV\ sttt{ ~~) ~ f~\t) \?t~ r:~9 ~

7
c. Calculate the cell potential if [Zn 2+] 5.00 M and [CrJ+] = 0.50 M? What does this result tell
you? How would your diagram change? How does Q compare to K?

Q = [ "t~"'''13
_
C
::S'.Ov1 ;:
~ 500 {trG V\ = b
[C<)~J2 (0:50')2

£C... II;;. Ee(.~!t . - ,o.o!.~V

.....
(oq
J
Q

- - Q.OO,G ~ V
Not S?GIII'\-C\oJ\eouS Sc
,A,ll C'\('If"ClW'5 l "" dln).,.-o."""'" ~ ~ rSe. .
t--bw Q -;> KeG ( SCO "";) L l5 J

d. If zinc is the anode and [Cr3+] 0.0 tOM, what must the [Zn2+] be in order to achieve 0.050V?

0.0$0 V := G.O"1..JV ­
0. 0 5£12_"
b
t0') Q
/\ _") C
LVI"1."'J;'
~.:: 1.~:,y.X'(() ;~
(C.C>\CI'\

[2V1~1 ::: . (~I

'S. '15)<\0 !'

w4.... Q~ t

£(.~If:: a.O,O v

I ~ 0.(( ~ut- a\/l~ cOv-C.Q"'->+r::'-,,+tCn, «.V1GW V1

) tL~ V\
C""" {oil., If>u tl., u~t.~V' C",x--"...,kt'G~.!
(5~ i~ ~~ ~rCJlJl~y\. J
e. What must the value of Q be in order for the voltage to be zero?

Q:: ~e~::. 2\S

8
 3. A standard zinc half-cell was coupled to a standard hydrogen electrode. When the red wire
was attached to the hydrogen electrode, the cell potential was 0.763 V. What is the standard
reduction potential for the zinc half-cell?

[Zn2+] = 1.0 M, [H+] = 1.0 M, P H2 1 atm (standard hydrogen electrode)

.

Reduction (cathode): J H~ ~ 2e- --==t ~:l gcathode = O.dO V

Oxidation (anode): 7.1/\ ~ "ZV1 '1>+ ~ :2.e- ganode X

Net (overall cell reaction): LV\ + -Z 1-1 +~ L.fl '2.+ -+ Wz

Tl.\'S IS Ir,c--.J ~ ,:.,b..,cbrcl ~duc:4")GY\ rck~+'c: 1<;

G~ VV'Q<::I.S0 vr::c) {

4. A Zn/Zn2+ half-cell was coupled to a hydrogen electrode in which Pm 1 atm. The [Zn2+] in
the anode compartment was 0.10 M and the cell emf was 0.542 V. Calculate the pH in the
cathode compartment.

[-2.V11.t")::=. CL! 0 f0

f H2­ -:= l ,OOIt~

Cc"~ +\...c/:h:~
(-l (-1-\
~-_~'~h"""-'- tI::.. "'viol,. ( <:><:,
G - \ - - p.,..

~
2 Nt- -1 2 ~- .....,. t12 E~lt :;: O.5tj'l. V
~d,

( \t-,,, I., ",,,+ Q<- G r Q f. -r+ ,.., '" /1"",<<0" Q ~)