Electrochemical Cell Voltage

How do changes in concentration within a cell change the voltage of the cell?

Why?
Batteries are simply electrochemical cells in a compact container. The most common are sold as 9-volt or
1.5-volt, but are these voltages reliable? Does the voltage of an electrochemical cell stay constant as the cell
runs towards equilibrium? Can an electrochemical cell have a voltage other than its standard voltage?

Model 1 – Zinc and Copper Cell

Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq) ↔ Zn2+ (aq) + Cu (s) E° = 1.100 V

Time [Cu2+] [Zn2+] Voltage
(min) (M) (M) (V )
1 1.750 0.250 1.123
2 1.500 0.500 1.113
3 1.250 0.750 1.106
4 1.000 1.000 1.100
5 0.750 1.250 1.094
6 0.500 1.500 1.087
7 0.250 1.750 1.077

1. Is the cell in Model 1 spontaneous or not? Use evidence from Model 1 to justify your answer.

It is spontaneous because all of the voltages are positive.

2. Is the reaction in Model 1 favoring the reverse direction at any point during the experiment?
Justify your answer.

No, all the voltages are positive so it is always moving forward

3. Refer to Model 1.
a. What is the standard cell potential for the reaction between zinc and copper?

1.100 V

b. What are the concentrations of the zinc and copper solutions when the standard cell potential
is obtained?

They are both 1 M

Electrochemical Cell Voltage 1

 4. Sketch how the Zn2+ (aq)/Cu (s) electrochemical cell in Model 1 may appear in a lab setup. Label
the electrodes and solutions. Include a voltmeter in your drawing.
1.1 V
Zn (s) Cu (s)

Zn 2+ (aq) Cu 2+ (aq)

5. Is the reaction in Model 1 at equilibrium at any point during the experiment? If no, in which
direction must the reaction proceed to reach equilibrium?

It is never at equilibrium because the voltage is never zero. The reaction

must continue forward to reach equilibrium.
6. According to the data in Model 1, does an electrochemical cell provide a constant voltage as it
proceeds?

No, as it proceeds the voltage

goes down.
7. Would you expect a 9-V battery to always provide 9 V? Justify your reasoning.

No because as the battery runs the voltage would go down and it would
die when it reaches zero voltage (equilibrium).

Model 2 – Concentration Effects in a Cell

Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq) ↔ Zn2+ (aq) + Cu (s) E° = 1.100 V

Initial [Cu2+] Initial [Zn2+] Voltage
Trial
(M) (M) (V )
1 1.00 0.25 1.116
2 1.00 0.50 1.108
3 1.00 0.75 1.103
4 1.00 1.00 1.100
5 0.75 1.00 1.097
6 0.50 1.00 1.092
7 0.25 1.00 1.084

8. In trials 1–7 in Model 2, what variables in the cell have been changed?

The initial concentrations of Zn 2+ and Cu 2+

2 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Chemistry

 9. Consider the data in Model 2.
a. Based on the principles of LeChâtelier, in which direction would you predict the reaction to
shift when the concentration of copper ions is decreased?
It would shift left

b. What happens to the cell’s potential (voltage) when the concentration of copper ions is
decreased?
It decreases

c. Based on the principles of LeChâtelier, in which direction would you predict the reaction to
shift when the concentration of zinc ions is decreased?
It would shift right
d. What happens to the cell’s potential when the concentration of zinc ions is decreased?
It would increase

10. Predict the effect on the cell’s potential when the concentration of copper ions is increased. Use
LeChâtelier’s Principle to justify your prediction.

When the [Cu] ions increases the

reaction would shift right and the cell
potential would increase

11. Using the reaction in Model 1, estimate the conditions that would be required to achieve a cell
potential of 1.00 V.
The concentration of Zinc ions would have to be over 1.75 M and the concentration of copper
ions would have to be below 0.25 M

12. Consider the following reaction:

F2 (g) + 2Cl1− (aq) ↔ 2F1− (aq) + Cl2 (g) E° = 1.51 V
a. Describe the conditions that would provide a voltage of 1.51 V.
Both the Cl and F ions would have to have a concentration of 1 M and they would need to have 1 atm
of partial pressure

b. Identify two changes to the cell that would increase the potential of the cell.
Increase in the concentration of F and decrease in concentration of Cl

c. Identify two changes to the cell that would decrease the potential of the cell.

Increase in the concentration of Cl and decrease in concentration of F

Electrochemical Cell Voltage 3

Extension Questions

Model 3 – Chromium and Zinc

3Zn (s) + 2Cr 3+ (aq) ↔ 2Cr (s) + 3Zn2+ (aq) E° = 0.020 V

Initial [Cr 3+] Initial [Zn2+] Voltage
Trial
(M) (M) (V)
1 1.00 × 10−3 1.00 −0.034
2 1.00 × 10 −2 1.00 −0.016
3 1.00 × 10 −1 1.00 0.002
4 1.00 1.00 0.020
5 1.00 1.00 × 10 −1 0.047
6 1.00 1.00 × 10 −2 0.074
7 1.00 1.00 × 10−3 0.101

13. Under standard conditions, is the reaction in Model 3 spontaneous? Justify your answer.

Yes because the standard cell potential is positive

14. Describe a set of estimated conditions that would allow the reaction in Model 3 to be at
equilibrium.

The concentration of Zn ions would be 1 M and the concentration of Cr ions would

have to be between 1 M and .01 M

15. According to Model 3, is it possible to make the reaction in Model 3 nonspontaneous? If yes,
what was done to make this happen?

Yes, if the Cr ions concentration is decreased

16. Are the data in Model 3 consistent with LeChâtelier’s principle? Justify your reasoning.

Yes, if the concentration of Cr ions is decreased the reaction shifts left and if it shifts left enough it starts to
require voltage

4 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Chemistry