AP Chemistry Lab Report

Purpose:
The purpose of this lab is to create a standard reduction table of multiple metal
ions using Zinc as the Standard.

Written by:
Nick - Purpose, Calculations, Post-lab, Procedure
Samuel - Purpose, Analysis, Post-lab, Data/Observations
Joseph - Purpose, Results, Procedure

Procedure:
Part 1:
1. Using a pipet, transfer about 2 mL of 1.0M Zn(NO ) into a test cell, and transfer
3 2

about 2 mL of 1.0M Cu(NO ) into the cell directly beneath.

3 2

2. Polish a small zinc strip and place in the cell holding the zinc solution. Repeat
with copper strip, placing in the cell copper solution cell.
3. Soak a strip of paper in KNO and place either end in the opposing cells.
3

4. Use a voltmeter to measure potential difference, connecting negative terminal to

the zinc cathode.
5. Repeat the process with Zn and each of four other 1.0M solutions: Fe(NO ) ,3 3

Pb(NO3 ) , Mg(NO ) , AgNO . The metal strips should compose of same metal as
3 2 3 2 3

the cell it is placed in.

6. Measure the potential difference of six other combinations of electrodes.
(Cu/Fe)(Cu/Pb)(Cu/Mg)(Pb/Fe)(Pb/Ag)(Mg/Ag)

Data/Observations:
Part 1:
Cell Voltages (E = 0.00V)
Zn

Anode Cathode Voltage

Zinc Copper 0.84V

Zinc Silver 1.26V

Zinc Iron 0.48V

Zinc Magnesium -0.65V

Zinc Lead 0.46V

 Cell Voltages

Anode Cathode Voltage

Copper Magnesium 1.24V

Iron Copper 0.48V

Iron Silver 0.89V

Magnesium Lead 0.93V

Lead Copper 0.54V

Copper Silver 0.39V

Results:
According to the purpose of this lab the results are as follows. With part 1 we can
see that a Standard Reductions Table was able to be made by knowing the reduction
equations found with our knowledge of the chemicals and recording the Electrode
Potential using Zinc (E ). After this, we found the cell potential with the equation E -
Zn Zn

E and completing the data on our table for part 1. When looking at the data for this part
of the lab we can see that Mg and Ag had the greatest potential difference according to
the measured value we got in the lab using Zinc as the standard, and this correlated with
published values using Hydrogen as the standard.

Calculations:
Cell Potential = E - E
Cathode Anode

Ex. CP = E - E = 0.84V - 0.48V = 0.36V

Cu Fe

Percent Error (not required but desired) = (Measured - Predicted)/Predicted

Ex. PE = (0.48V - 0.36V)/0.36V = 0.333 = 33.3%

Analysis:
The Electrochemical Cells lab was used to create a table of reduction potentials of
multiple different metals. During the lab, Joseph, Nick, and Walker prepared the wells
and obtained the necessary items for the salt bridge and Voltmeter. When measuring the
different voltage values, Nick prepared the salt bridges and metals, Joseph was in charge
of connecting the Voltmeter to anode and cathode while Walker recorded the necessary
data down.
To find each of these values, our group assembled multiple well plates, each one
consisting of a 1.0M solution of an aqueous metal ion. From here, solid strips of copper,
iron, lead, magnesium, silver, and zinc are placed into their respective 1.0M solutions.
The half-cells are connected by a small section of filter paper soaked in potassium nitrate
solution, which serves as the cells salt bridge. The strips of metal were then connected to
a Voltmeter, and the voltage read from the instrument was recorded and placed into our
reference table. All values were compared to the 0.00V value of the Zn|Zn half cell.
2+
 The group worked well together throughout the lab; however, sources of error still
manifested which could lead to inaccurate results. It is possible that solutions from
adjacent wells may have cross-contaminated during the lab, through small drops of
solution falling from electrodes as they were removed from a well and falling into a
nearby well. If cross-contamination occurred to an anode well, then the Q value in the
Nernst equation would have become smaller as the ionic solutions concentration would
have lowered (the anode solution residing in the product-side of the reaction). If Q is
decreased, the the potential difference of our readings would have likewise been lower
than should-be. Vice versa, if cross-contamination occurred to an cathode well, then the
Q value in the Nernst equation would have become larger as the ionic solutions
concentration would have lowered (the cathode solution residing in the reactant-side of
the reaction). If Q is increased, then the potential difference of our readings would have
likewise been greater than should-be. There is also the potential for the Voltmeter to have
an inaccurate reading, as Voltmeters have a margin for error of about 3%. A 3% error in
either direction, less or more, could result in calculations being quite different.
Furthermore, resistance in the experimental cell may have caused the measured electric
potential to be lower in some cases.

Post-Lab Calculations
1)
Reduction Equations - Decreasing Order of Potential
Reduction Electrode Potential using Accepted Electrode Potential E -
Zn

Equation Zinc as the Standard, EZn using Hydrogen as Standard, E E

Ag (aq) + e ->
+ -
1.26V +0.799V 0.461V
Ag(s)

Cu (aq) + 2e -
2+ -
0.84V +0.337V 0.503V
> Cu(s)

Fe (aq) + e ->
3+ -
0.48V +0.331V 0.149V
Fe (s)
3+

Pb (aq) + 2e -> 0.46V

2+ -
-0.126V 0.586V
Pb(s)

Zn (aq) + 2e -
2+ -
0.00V - 0.763V 0.763V
> Zn(s)

Mg (aq) + 2e -
2+ -
-0.65V -2.370V 1.720V
> Mg(s)

2)
Cathode | Predicted Electrode Potential Measured Electrode Potential %
Anode using Zinc as the Standard, E Zn using Hydrogen as Standard, E Error
 Cu | Fe 0.36V 0.48V 33.3%

Ag | Fe 0.78V 0.59V -
24.4%

Cu | Mg 1.49V 1.24V -
16.8%

Pb | Mg 1.11V 0.93V -
16.2%

Cu | Pb 0.38V 0.54V 42.1%

Ag | Cu 0.52V 0.39V -25%

Post-Lab Questions:
1. What is an electrode potential?
a. Electrode potential is the potential of a cell consisting of the electrode that
acts as a cathode and the standard hydrogen electrode acts as the anode.
Reduction always takes place at the cathode, and oxidation at the anode.
2. Did the ranking of reduction equations agree with that in a published chart of E o

values?
. Yes. When sorting the measured Potential Difference from greatest to smallest, it
was found that it was in the same order had the results been sorted according to published
values.
3. How should the values found using the Zinc electrode as a standard compare with
those in the E table that are based on the standard hydrogen electrode? Did they?
o

. The difference in volts from Zinc to Hydrogen is about 0.76. Thus we should be
able to expect that the values in the Zinc based table should be about 0.76 volts higher
than the corresponding values in the Hydrogen table. Only 1 value was close to this
amount, all others varying by significant amounts.
4. What factors can cause a difference between experimental and reported values?
. Things such as error listed above could result in differing results when it comes to
experimental and reported values. The solution may become contaminated with other
solutions from adjacent well plates. This would then alter voltage read from the
Voltmeter.
5. What does a negative value for a standard potential indicate?
. A negative number that is indicated for standard potential would result in
indication of the reaction not being spontaneous.