HOMEWORK GUIDE

CHAPTER 14: Chemical cells

Summary

Electrical cells

• There are two main types of electrical cells: chemical cells and solar cells.
In a chemical cell, chemical energy is converted into electrical energy.
• Chemical cells are classified as follows:
-- dry cells, which are not actually dry but contain a moist paste.
-- wet cells, which contain a liquid, e.g. lead-acid car batteries.
-- fuel cells, in which a fuel is used up during operation, e.g. hydrogen fuel cell.
Some cells are primary cells (which cannot be recharged); others are secondary cells
(which can be recharged).

Dry cells in daily life

Dry cell Zinc-carbon cell Alkaline- Silver oxide cell Nickel-

manganese cell cadmium cell
Shape cylindrical cylindrical button cylindrical
Voltage 1.5 V 1.5 V 1.5 V 1.25 V
Rechargeable? No No No Yes
Service life short long long short
Shelf life ~ 1.5 ~3 ~2 less than others
(years)
Steady current? No Yes Yes No
Large current? No Yes No Yes
Price cheap medium expensive expensive
Other points • some types can • leakproof • small size • can be
leak • light weight recharged many
times
Typical uses torches, small radios, CD players, motorised watches, calculators, mobile phones, CD
clocks toys, movie cameras cameras players, motorised
toys

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Simple chemical cells

• The simplest chemical cells consist of just two different metals in an electrolyte. An
external wire connects the two wires and completes the circuit.
-- Current (a flow of electrons) in the external circuit is from the negative terminal to the
positive terminal.
-- The negative electrode is made of a more reactive metal than the positive electrode.

Figure 1.

• In an aqueous solution, metals lose electrons (to form positive ions).

-- The series of metals arranged in decreasing order of their tendency to lose electrons is
called the Electrochemical Series.
-- A metal higher in the series loses electrons more readily than a metal lower in the series.
-- The order of metals in Electrochemical Series is similar to the order in the metal
reactivity series.
• The voltage of a cell depends on the pairs of metals used. The further apart the metals in
the electrochemical series, the greater the voltage.
Reactions in simple chemical cells.
-- For the cell in Figure 1 above:
At the negative electrode: Zn(s) ---> Zn2+(aq) + 2e-
At the positive electrode: Cu2+(aq) + 2e- ---> Cu(s)
Overall cell reaction: Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) ---> Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s)
Electrons flow from the zinc to the copper in the external circuit.

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 • The simple cell above can also be made using two half cells as shown below:

Figure 2

-- Each half cell consists of the metal in a solution of its own salt.

-- A salt bridge joins the two half cells. It can be made of filter paper soaked in an
electrolyte (e.g. sodium chloride, potassium nitrate).
-- The cell reactions for this cell are the same as for the cell in Figure 1.

∆ Reactions in a zinc-carbon cell

• At the negative electrode:

Zn(s) ---> Zn2+(aq) + 2e-
• At the positive electrode:
2NH4+(aq) + 2e- ----> 2NH3(aq) + H2(g)
The hydrogen collects on the positive terminal and decreases the current in the cell. The
manganese(IV) oxide in the cell removes the hydrogen:
2MnO2(s) + H2(g) ---> Mn2O3(s) + H2O(l)

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14.1 – 14.2

Multiple-choice questions

1. Which of the following kinds of cells are chemical cells?

(1) Zinc-carbon cell
(2) Lead-acid cell
(3) Solar cell
A (1) and (2) only √
B (1) and (3) only
C (2) and (3) only
D (1), (2) and (3)

2. What energy changes occurs in a chemical cell?

A electrical energy to chemical energy
B chemical energy to electrical energy √
C light energy to chemical energy
D light energy to electrical energy

3. Cells are of different sizes. Which of the following sizes is the largest?
A AAA
B AA
C C
D D √

Questions 4 to 10 refer to the following kinds of dry cells.

A Zinc-carbon cell
B Alkaline-manganese cell
C Silver oxide cell
D Nickel-cadmium cell

4. Which kind of cell is rechargeable? D

5. Which kind of cell is also known as a ‘button’ cell? C

6. Which kind of cell has the shortest service life? A

7. Which kind of cell does can provide a large, steady current? B

8. Which kind of cell is suitable for use in watches and small calculators? C

9. Which kind of cell is the cheapest? A

10. Which kind of cell can sometimes leak? A

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11. Which of the following points is/are characteristic of an alkaline-manganese cell?
(1) It is leakproof.
(2) It has a voltage of 1.5 V.
(3) It can provide a large, steady current.
A (1) and (2) only
B (1) and (3) only
C (2) and (3) only
D (1), (2) and (3) √

12. What kind of chemical cells are used to provide electricity in satellites and space shuttles?
A Zinc-carbon cells
B Nickel-cadmium cells
C Fuel cells √
D Lead-acid cells

Structured questions

1. In daily life, different types of dry cells are used.

(a) Name four types of dry cells.
_Zinc-carbon cell, alkaline-manganese cell, silver/mercury oxide cell, nickel-cadmium
cell.____________________________________________________________________
(b) (i) Which of these types of cells can be cylindrical in shape?
__Zinc-carbon cell, alkaline-manganese cell, nickel-cadmium cell_________________
(ii) What shape is the other type of cell?
___The silver/mercury oxide cell has a button shape.____________________________
(c) (i) What is meant by a ‘rechargeable’ cell?
__When the cell has been discharged / is no longer useful, it can be recharged and used
again. ________________________________________________________________
(ii) Which of the four cells in (a) is/are rechargeable cells?
__Only the nickel-cadmium cell.____________________________________________
(d) Cylindrical cells are of different sizes: AA, AAA, C and D. Arrange these in increasing
order of size.
___AAA, AA, C, D______________________________________________________

2. State (i) ONE advantage and (ii) ONE disadvantage for each of the following types of
cells.
(a) Zinc-carbon cell:
Advantage: ___Cheap. ._________________________________________________

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 Disadvantage: _Some types can leak. / Short service life. / Current not steady._______
(b) Alkaline-manganese cell:
Advantage: ____Leakproof. / Large, steady current. / Long service life. / Long shelf life.
Disadvantage: _More expensive. / Not rechargeable.____________________________
(c) Silver oxide cell:
Advantage: ____Small. / Light weight. / Steady current. / Long service life.__________
Disadvantage: _Expensive. / Not rechargeable. ________________________________
(d) Nickel-cadmium cell?
Advantage: ___Rechargeable. / Large current._________________________________
Disadvantage: _Expensive. / Short service life._________________________________

3. Name ONE cell suitable for each of the following uses. State one or more reasons why it is
suitable.
(a) Small camera that is used often.
__Button cell. It is small, light in weight and has a long service life (can be used for a long
time before needing to be replaced).____________________________________
(b) An expensive portable CD player that is used for long periods at a time.
_Alkaline-manganese cell. Leakproof (will not damage the player); steady voltage/current
(to maintain motor speed). a long service life (lasts a long time)._____________________
(c) To power a motorised toy that is used often but for short periods each time.
_E.g. Nickel-cadmium cell. Provides a large current (to drive the motor) and rechargeable
(can be recharged between uses).______________________________________________

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14.3 – 14.6

Multiple-choice questions

1. Who invented the first modern chemical cell?

A Ampere
B Faraday
C Ohm
D Volta √

2. What does a simple chemical cell consist of?

A Two identical metals electrodes in distilled water.
B Two different metals electrodes in any solution.
C Two identical metals electrodes in an electrolyte
D Two different metals electrodes in any electrolyte. √

3. Which of the following materials can make a simple chemical cell?

A Zinc, copper, sodium chloride solution. √
B Zinc, copper, sugar solution.
C Zinc, zinc, copper(II) sulphate solution.
D Copper, copper, copper(II) sulphate solution.

4. Which pair of metals in a simple cell will give the largest voltage?
A Magnesium and magnesium.
B Magnesium and zinc.
C Magnesium and copper. √
D Zinc and copper.

5. The electric current in a cell consists of

(1) a flow of electrons in the external circuit.
(2) the movement of ions through the electrolyte.
(3) the movement of electrons through the electrolyte.
A (1) only
B (1) and (2) only √
C (2) and (3) only
D (1), (2) and (3)

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Questions 6 and 7 refer to the following metals in the Electrochemical Series:

A Magnesium.
B Calcium.
C Copper.
D Silver.

6. The order in this series is the same as the order in the reactivity series except for which
metal? B

7. Which metal loses electrons least readily? D

Questions 8 and 9 refer to the simple cell shown below:

8. Which of the following statements about this cell is INCORRECT?

A The initial voltage of the cell is about 1 volt.
B Zinc atoms on the zinc electrode lose electrons to form zinc ions.
C The copper is the negative electrode. √
D Electrons flow from the zinc to the copper.

9. What are the disadvantages of this cell?

(1) The voltage soon falls to zero.
(2) The zinc electrode reacts with the electrolyte.
(3) A layer of copper is deposited on the copper electrode.
A (1) and (2) only √
B (1) and (3) only
C (2) and (3) only
D (1), (2) and (3) only

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10. Consider the cell shown below:

Electrons flow from X to Y in the external circuit. Which of the following combinations of
X, Y and Z is correct?
X Y Z
A copper zinc zinc sulphate solution
B zinc copper copper(II) sulphate solution
C zinc copper copper(II) sulphate solution √
D copper zinc zinc sulphate solution

Structured questions

1. A simple cell can be made from the metals magnesium and copper and the electrolyte
copper(II) sulphate.
(a) (i) Draw a labelled diagram of the cell.
(ii) On the diagram, show the positive and negative electrodes and the direction of the
electron flow.

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(b) Write the ionic half equations for (i) the reaction at the negative electrode, (ii) the reaction
at the positive electrode and (ii) the overall cell reaction.
__(i) Mg(s) ---> Mg2+(aq) + 2e- _____________________________________________
__(ii) Cu2+(aq) + 2e- ----> Cu(s)_____________________________________________
__(iii) Mg(s) + Cu2+(aq) ---> Mg2+(aq) + Cu(s) _________________________________
(c) State ONE major disadvantage of this cell.
__The magnesium reacts directly with the copper(II) sulphate solution. A layer of copper
forms of the magnesium and the voltage of the cell falls to zero.__________________
(d) What test tube experiment can be carried out that has the same reaction as in the above
cell?
_Placing a strip of magnesium ribbon into a solution of copper(II) sulphate.
______________________________________________________________________

2. Cells are made from the following pairs of metals.

magnesium/zinc magnesium/copper magnesium/silver
(a) Which cell will have the greatest voltage? Explain.
__The magnesium/silver cell as magnesium and silver are furthest apart in the
electrochemical series. _____________________________________________
(b) List the combinations in decreasing order of cell voltage.
___magnesium/silver magnesium/copper magnesium/zinc __________________

3. The chemical cell in Question 1 can be made using two half cells and a salt bridge.
(a) Draw and label a diagram of this cell.

(b) (i) How can the salt bridge be made?

__From filter paper soaked in a saturated solution of an electrolyte that does not react with
the substances of the cell, e.g. potassium nitrate.________________________________

(ii) What is the function of the salt bridge?

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 To complete the circuit by allowing ions to move from one half cell to the other.________
(iii) What will happen if the salt bridge is removed?
___The voltage will fall to zero. / There will be no current. / The cell will stop working._
(d) The cell can also be made with a porous pot instead of a salt bridge. Draw and label a
diagram of this cell.

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