CMT555

ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND CORROSION

SCIENCE
LABORATORY REPORT
EXPERIMENT 1:
GALVANIC CELLS
NAME

: AHMAD FAIZ ZIKRI BIN ALIAS

(2013379453)
: MUHAMAD AMIRUL BIN KAMARONZAMAN
(2014418924)
:UNGKU AMIRUL ARIF BIN UNGKU ABDULLAH
(2014836832)
:

LECTURERS NAME

: DR YUSAIRIE BIN MOHD

SUBMISSION DATE

: 26 OCTOBER 2015

GROUP

: AS245 4D

Galvanic Cell
Objectives:
a) To measure the relative reduction potentials for a number of half cell (redox) couples
in a galvanic cell.
b) To develop an understanding of the movement of electrons, anions and cations in a
galvanic cell.
c) To study factors affecting cell potentials.
d) To estimate the concentration of ions in solution using the Nernst Equation.
Results and Calculations:
A. Galvanic Cell Reduction Potentials of Several Redox Couples
Galvanic
Cell
Cu Zn
Cu Fe
Zn Fe

Measured,
Ecell, V

Anode

Equation for
Anode Reaction

Cathode

0.997
0.694
0.298

Zn
Fe
Zn

Zn Zn2+ + 2eFe Fe2+ + 2eZn Zn2+ + 2e-

Cu
Cu
Fe

Equation for
Cathode
Reaction
2+
Cu + 2e- Cu
Cu2+ + 2e- Cu
Fe2+ + 2e- Fe

Overall equation of each reactions:

1) Cu Zn:
Zn + Cu2+ Zn2+ + Cu
2) Cu Fe:
Fe + Cu2+ Fe2+ + Cu
3) Zn Fe:
Zn + Fe2+ Zn2+ + Fe
Redox Couples
Cu2+/Cu
Fe2+/Fe
Zn2+/Zn

Reduction Potential
(measured), V
0.207
-0.487
-0.790

Reduction Potential
(Calculated), V
0.310
-0.470
-0.760

% error
35
-3.6
-3.9

Reduction Potential (measured):

Zn = -0.79V
Cu Zn:
Ecell = Ecat - Eano
0.997 = ECu (-0.79)
ECu = 0.207V

Cu - Fe:
0.694 = 0.207 - EFe
EFe = -0.487V

Reduction Potential (Calculated):

Ecell = Ecell

0.0592
2

2+
Zn

2+
log
Cu

Cu Zn:

ECu EZn = ECu - EZn

0.0592
2

ECu (-0.79) = [0.34-(-0.76)]

ECu (-0.79) = 1.1
ECu = 0.31V

2+
Zn

2+
log
Cu

0.0592
2

log

[0.1]
[0.1]

Cu Fe:

ECu EFe = ECu - EFe

0.0592
2

2+

Fe

2+
log

Cu

0.31 EFe = [0.34 (-0.44)]

EFe = -0.47V

Percentage Error:
2+

Cu /Cu =

0.3100.201
100
0.31

= 35%
B. Effect of Concentration Changes on Cell Potential
1. Cell potential of concentration cell :

0.058V

Anode reaction

Cu Cu2+ + 2e-

Cathode reaction

Cu2+ + 2e- Cu

The small voltage produces in other to reach equilibrium due to difference in

solution concentration.
1) Cell potential from complex formation
Observation of solution in half-cell

:
0.502V
: The colour of solution 0.001 M
CuSO4 change from colourless to
light blue colour

More Cu2+ ions flow from cathode and the concentration of Cu2+ ions decrease.
2) The cell potential decreases when NH3 added to 1M CuSO4 instead of 0.001M
CuSO4 solution because the mole concentration of 1M CuSO4 are higher than
0.001M CuSO4.
C. The Nernst Equation and Unknown Concentration.

Solution
Number
1
2
3
4
5(unknown)

Concentration
of Cu(NO3)2, M
0.1
0.001
0.0001
0.0000001
0.00006

Log [Cu2+]
-1
-3
-5
-7
-4.2

Ecell (measured)

Ecell (calculated)

0.928
0.898
0.864
0.835
0.878

1.100
1.040
0.982
0.922
-

Dilution of Cu(NO3)2:
m1v1 = m2v2
solution2:
0.1(1) = m2(100)
M

= 0.001
1. Cu(NO3)2 0.1M

Ecell

Zn

2+

0.0592

E cell
=
log 2+
n
Cu

ECu2+/Cu EZn2+/Zn = ECu2+/ Cu - EZn2+/Zn -

[ 0.1]
0.0592
log
2
[ 0.1]

= 0.34 (-0.76)
= 1.100 V
2. Ecell

= 1.1

[ 0.1 ]
0.0296 log

[ 0.001 ]

= 1.040V
3. Ecell

= 1.1

[ 0.1 ]
0.0296 log

[ 0.00001 ]

= 0.982V
4. Ecell

= 1.1
= 0.922V

[ 0.1 ]
0.0296 log

[ 0.0000001 ]

Concentration of unknown:
-4.2

= log [Cu2+]

[Cu2+] = 10-4.2
= 0.00006M
Discussion:
In reduction potentials for several redox. Basically, redox is a chemical reaction involving
transfer of electrons from one reactant to another and not giving out product, instead it
balance out each other. One reactant will be giving up electrons which is oxidation, where the
other will receive the electrons which is reduction. The increase of oxidation number
indicates the oxidation reaction, where decrease of oxidation number indicates the reduction
reaction. Salt-bridge is sued to allow a current of ions from one half-cell to other to complete
the circuit of electron current in the external wires. In Cu-Zn, Zn electrode will experience
oxidation on the positive anode, where it will gives off electron to Cu electrode, where Cu
electrode experience reduction reaction. Zn potential is -0.79 V and Cu potential is +0.34, this
fact support the experiment where the more positive (less negative) the reduction potential,
the greater the tendency for the reduction to occur. Therefore, Zn electrode is a positive anode
electrode and Cu electrode is a negative cathode electrode. The arrangement of redox
couples, decreasing order:
Cu2+ > Fe2+ > Zn2+
The experiment is conducted to investigate the effect of solution concentration towards cell
potential. The experiment proves that the concentration plays crucial role in cell potential.
Nernst equation is used to determine the concentration of solution in a galvanic cells by
calculating the Ecell. The first experiment was conducted to identify factors that could affect
cell potentials and to estimate the concentration of ions in the solution using Nernst equation.
The cell potential depends on many factors; nature of oxidizing agents and reducing agents,
the concentration of the salt solutions in the half-cells, the temperature of the solutions and
the atmospheric pressure. In this experiment, the factors that were conducted were molar
concentration, the complex formation and the precipitate formation. Based on the result, the
small voltage produces is as the act for the solution to reach equilibrium of equal
concentration. The addition of NH3 to the 0.001M cause voltage increment. This is because
more Cu2+ ions flow from cathode and the concentration of Cu2+ ions decreases.

From Nernst Equation, unknown concentration can be determined by plotting graph

of Ecell versus log [Cu2+]. Cell potential of galvanic cell at any concentration can be determine
by using Nernst equation. It also provide determination of cell potential at non standard
condition such temperature.
Conclusion:
Galvanic cell is spontaneous reaction, it convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Thus,
each redox couples produces different cell potential. Electrons are moving from higher
potential energy to lower potential energy. Factors affecting cell potentials are dominated by
molar concentration of solution, followed by complex formation and then, the precipitate
formation. Increasing the concentration of product, Ecell will decreases.