Lab Report

Electrochemical
Cells

Member: Yanyi Lu; Xiangling Lu

Class: AP Chemistry
Introduction

Background

Electrochemistry deals with the relations between chemical changes and

electrical energy. It is primarily concerned with oxidation-reduction
phenomena. Chemical reactions can be used to produce electrical energy in
voltaic (galvanic) cells. Electrical energy, on the other hand, can be used to
bring about chemical changes in an electrolytic cell. The tendency of
oxidation-reduction reactions is to proceed to an equilibrium state. These
reactions occurring in electrochemical cells provide another way for us to
express the driving force in chemical reactions. When reagents that accept
or donate electrons are arranged so that the electrons can enter or leave the
reaction through a metallic conductor, an electrochemical cell is established.
A half-cell contains a metal in contact with a solution of its salt. Each metal
will develop a different electrical potential based on its electron
configuration. The standard reduction potential listed in various references is
the voltage that a half-cell develops when combined with a hydrogen half-
cell. A battery is a combination of two half-cells connected by a salt bridge
and an external metallic conductor. The half-cell with the more positive
standard reduction potential will have a reduction reaction occurring at the
electrode (cathode). The other half-cell will have an oxidation reaction
occurring at the electrode (anode). The voltage of the battery will equal the
sum of the standard reduction potentials less voltage lost to the internal
resistance of the cells. The electrons flow from the anode to the cathode
through the external metal conductor. An electrolysis cell is the reverse of a
battery where a voltage higher than the reversible electromotive force of the
cell is applied to the electrodes. In a cell which contains water and an
electrolyte, the oxidation reaction which occurs at the anode produces
oxygen gas while the reduction occurring at the cathode produces hydrogen
gas. By adding a pH indicator to an electrolysis cell, the oxidation-reduction
reactions can be monitored visually. The gasses produced can be collected in
inverted test tubes and the volumes of hydrogen and oxygen compared.

Purpose:

1) Construct a simple chemical battery and determine its output.

2) Construct an electrolytic cell and produce H2 and O2 by electrolysis of water

Materials
Copper metal strips; Magnesium metal strips; dialysis tubes; Copper Sulfate
solution; Sodium Sulfate solution Bromothymol Blue Indicator solution

Procedure

The chemical battery:

1) Soak the dialysis tube in water to soften. Tie a knot in one end of the tube
and fill it with about 50mL of the copper sulfate solution.
2) Place about 180mL of sodium sulfate solution in a 250mL beaker and then
place the dialysis tube in the solution being careful not to allow any copper
sulfate solution to enter the beaker.
3) If the copper and magnesium strips are tarnished of oxidized, clean them by
dipping them in dilute HCl (1M). Be sure to rinse them thoroughly under
running water before placing them in the cell.
4) Carefully place the copper strip in the dialysis tube fill with copper sulfate
solution. The edges may be sharp so be careful not to puncture the tube.
Place the magnesium strip in the beaker in the solution of sodium sulfate.
5) Connect the wire leads to the electrode strips and then to a 1.5V flashlight
bulb or a voltmeter. Observe the results.

The electrolysis cell:

1) Place about 200mL of sodium sulfate solution in a 250mL beaker. Add several
drops of Bromothymol blue and mix.
2) Prepare two electrodes by placing alligator clips on the end of two wire leads.
Strip about ¾” of insulation off the opposite ends.
3) Fill the two test tubes with solution from the beaker and carefully invert them
into the beaker holding your finger over the opening to prevent solution from
escaping from the test tubes.
4) Bend the end of each wire lead so that when positioned in the beaker the
filled test tubes can be placed over the exposed electrode to capture the gas
that is generated. We will want to compare the volume of gas collected at
each electrode, so make sure the entire 3/4” electrode is within the test tube.
5) Attach the alligator clips to the 9V battery. Observe the results.

Observe

Experiment 1

the result from the voltmeter 1.82V

The flashlight bulb burn
My Experiment2

Gas volume Observe Color

“+” side No change No bubbles Become lighter
“-” side Become bigger Many bubbles blue

Correct experiment

Gas volume Observe Color

“+” side 1 Less bubbles Yellow
“-“ side 2 Lots bubbles blue

Discussion

1) In your laboratory report include the balanced net equations for the oxidation
and reduction reactions occurring at each electrode. Indicate the flow of
electrons in each electrochemical cell.

2) For the chemical battery, determine the theoretical voltage produced using
standard reduction potentials found in chemical references (i.e. CRC
Handbook of chemistry and Physics). If a voltmeter is available, compare the
theoretical value to the observed. Explain any difference between the two
values.
3) In the electrolysis cell, explain the color change occurring at each electrode.
What is the source of acid and base at the electrodes?
Hydrogen gas will be produced at the cathode by reduction:
4H2O + 4 e- → 2 H2 + 4 OH-
The electrons required for this reduction will be supplied by the
negative post of the battery or power source.
Oxygen will form at the anode by oxidation:
2H2O → O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e-
A yellow color may begin to appear around the test tube acting as the
anode (and attached to the positive post of the battery). In this half-
cell hydroxide ions are being produced
2H2O → O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e-
This will result in the solution becoming slightly acidic. This will cause
Bromothymol Blue to turn yellow.

4) In comparing the gas generated during electrolysis, how many molecules of

hydrogen are produced for every molecule of oxygen? How many electrons
are liberated for every molecule of oxygen formed?
The balanced equation
2 H2O (l) →2 H2 (g) + O2 (g)
It tells us that for every mole of oxygen gas that is produced two moles
of hydrogen gas will form. Thus we should expect to see twice the
volume of hydrogen gas produced relative to oxygen.
There are four electrons are liberated every molecule of oxygen formed.

5) What is the potential industrial use of the electrolysis of water?

For the production of either hydrogen or oxygen gas, for various reasons:
Hydrogen:
burning
rocket fuel
fuel cell

Oxygen:
welding
breathing (medical)