Practical 5

Aim

: To investigate the effect of concentration on the electromotive force of a

cell

Materials

: EC1 is 1.0 mol dm-3 aqueous copper(II) nitrate

EC2 is 2.0 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate
EC3 is 1.0 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate
EC4 is 0.1 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate
EC5 is 0.01 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate
EC6 is 0.001 mol dm-3 aqueous zinc nitrate
A saturated solution of potassium chloride

Apparatus

: 2 V accumulator, potentiometer, jockey, zinc plate, copper plate,

100 cm3 measuring cylinder, 100 cm3 beaker, filter paper, galvanometer,
connecting wires with crocodile clips

Procedure

1. By means of measuring cylinders, fill beaker A with 50.0 cm3 of EC1 and beaker
B with 50 cm3 of EC2.
2. Immerse a strip of filter paper into the saturated solution of potassium chloride;
then dip the ends of the filter paper into the two beakers A and B to build a salt
bridge.
3. Clean the copper and zinc plates with sandpaper, wash with distilled water, and
dry.
4. Clip the copper plate with the crocodile clip and connect it to the end of the
potentiometer to which the positive terminal of the accumulator is connected.
5. The zinc metal is connected to a galvanometer to which a jockey is attached.
6. The negative terminal of the accumulator is then connected to the other end of
the potentiometer as shown in Figure 5.
7. Dip the two metal plates into their respective solutions. After one minute has
elapsed, touch the jockey along the length of the potentiometer wire until the
galvanometer shows a zero reading indicating no current flow.
Do not slide the jockey along the length of the potentiometer wire to avoid
a build up of resistance.
8. Note down the length of the potentiometer wire as x cm and record your readings
in the table below.
9. Repeat the experiment above by replacing solution EC 2 with solutions as shown
in the table below.
New filter paper is to be used for every new solution.
10. Calculate E cell using the following formula.

X
E cell = ___________________________ X
Length of potentiometer wire

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2V

Figure 5: The effect of concentration on the electromotive force of a cell

Results

:
Length of potentiometer wire = cm

Experiment Beaker A
1
2
3
4
5

50 cm3 EC1
50 cm3 EC1
50 cm3 EC1
50 cm3 EC1
50 cm3 EC1

Beaker B

Length of
wire, x/cm

E cell/ V

[Zn2+] /moldm-3

50 cm3 EC2
50 cm3 EC3
50 cm3 EC4
50 cm3 EC5
50 cm3 EC6

Questions:
1. Write a cell diagram for the electrochemical system.

(2m)

2. Write half-life equations for the reactions taking place in beakers A and B and
hence write an equation for the overall cell reaction.
(2m)
3. Plot a graph of E cell against lg[Zn2+] in beaker B and explain how the emf of the
cell varies with the concentration of Zn2+ in beaker B.
(5m)
4. Explain what will happen to the E cell value if
(i)
the solution in beaker A is replaced with 0.1 mol dm-3 aqueous
copper(II) nitrate,
(3m)
-3
(ii)
the solution in beaker B is replaced with 0.1 mol dm aqueous
aluminium chloride, and the plate of zinc metal is replaced with
aluminium metal?
(3m)

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