ELECTROCHEMISTRY

By Aryan Gupta
Class 12th A
(Non-Medical)
Roll no.26604942
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost,I would like to express my
sincere gratitude to my teacher Ms.Archana
Ma’am as well as Ms. Meenakshi Khurana
Ma’am for their continuous support to do this
project work on the topic ELECTROCHEMISTRY.
Their guidance helped me in all the time of
research and writing of this project.

Finally I would also like to appreciate the crucial

role of my parents and friends who have willingly
helped me in developing this project with many
helpful discussions and good ideas in limited time
frame.
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that I, Aryan Gupta of Class XIIth
A has successfully completed the project work on
ELECTROCHEMISTRY for the Class 12
practical exam during academic session 2021-2022
as per guidelines issued by Central Board Of
Secondary Education(CBSE) and successfully
completed it to my satisfaction.
CONTENTS
 What is electrochemistry?
 What is voltage/charge/current?

 Cathode and reduction

 Anode and oxidation

 Electrochemical cell

 Daniell cell

 Electrolytic cell

 Electrolysis of water

 How do batteries work

 Standard electrode potential

 Gibbs Free Energy And Cell Potential

 Nerst’s Equation
 Electrical Restivity
 Electrical Conductivity

 Molar Conductivity

 Kohlrausch's law of independent

migration of ions
 Quantitative Electrolysis And
Faraday's Law
 Applied Aspects Of
Electrochemistry
 Application Of Electrochemistry
WHAT IS ELECTROCHEMISTRY?
 Electrochemistry is the science that unites
electricity and chemistry. It is the study of the
transfer of electrons. If a chemical reaction is
driven by an external applied voltage, as in
electrolysis, or if a voltage is created by a
chemical reaction, as in a battery, it is an
electrochemical reaction.
WHAT IS VOLTAGE/CHARGE/CURRENT?
 An electric potential difference is called as
voltage. The SI unit of voltage is volts.
 Electric charge is that which causes electrons and
ions to attract each other, and repel the particles
of the same kind. Coulomb is the unit used to
measure electric charge.
 Current is the flow of charge per unit of time.
Ampere is the SI unit of electric current , equal to
1C/s.
 One joule of energy is used when 1C moves
across a potential of 1V.
 Energy (J)= potential (V) х Charge(C)
CATHODE AND REDUCTION
 If the electronic conductor gives up electrons to
the ionic conductor then the electrode is called
as a cathode and the reaction is called as a
cathodic reaction. The flow of electrons and ions
at a cathode is shown in the figure below. The
copper strip is the electronic conductor that
gives up electrons to the ionic conductor which
is the copper (II) sulfate solution.
 The chemistry that takes place in the cathode is
reduction. Cu2+ (aq) +2e- → Cu(s)
 During reduction copper is deposited on the
metal strip. Solid metal appears as a product.
 This process of depositing a metal on a conducive
surface is used in the electroplating of silver into
jewelry and flatware.
ANODE AND OXIDATION
 An anode is an electrode at which electrons are
generated. A reaction occurring at the anode is
anodic reaction. Electrons flow in the opposite
direction to the positive electric current .The
figure below shows the reaction of zinc atoms to
form zinc ions.
 Zn(s)→ Zn2+ (aq)+2e-
 A reaction occurring at an anode is an anodic
reaction, and the resulting chemical change is
called oxidation. Zinc atoms are oxidized as they
lose electrons at the anode. The metal strip
dissolves as the reaction proceeds.

 Reduction reactions always occur with oxidation

reactions. The electrons used in reduction must
come from an oxidation reaction. The overall
reaction is called an oxidation reduction reaction,
or redox reaction.
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL
 Electrons produced by an anode must be
consumed by a cathodic reaction. Therefore an
anode must be paired with a cathode. The two
electrodes combine in an electrochemical cell.
 An electrochemical cell can be created by placing
metallic electrodes into an electrolyte where a
chemical reaction either uses or generates an
electric current.
 Electrochemical cells which generate an electric
current ( in which the 2 electrode reactions occur
spontaneously) are called voltaic cells or galvanic
cells, and common batteries consist of one or more
such cells.
 In other electrochemical cells an externally
supplied electric current is used to drive a
chemical reaction which would not occur
spontaneously. Such cells are called electrolytic
cells.
O In an electrochemical cell:
O The half-cell in which oxidation takes place is known as
oxidation half-cell
O The half-cell in which reduction takes place is known as
reduction half-cell.
O Oxidation takes place at anode which is negatively charged
and reduction takes place at cathode which is positively
charged.
O Transfer of electrons takes place from anode to cathode
while electric current flows in the opposite direction.
O An electrode is made by dipping the metal plate into the
electrolytic solution of its soluble salt.
O A salt bridge is a U shaped tube containing an inert
electrolyte in agar-agar and gelatine.
O Salt bridge: A salt bridge maintains electrical neutrality
and allows the flow of electric current by completing the
electrical circuit.
REPRESENTATION OF AN
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

ᴼ Anode is written on the left while the cathode is written

on the right.
ᴼ Anode represents the oxidation half-cell and is written as:
Metal/Metal ion (Concentration)
ᴼ Cathode represents the reduction half-cell and is written
as: Metal ion (Concentration)/Metal
ᴼ Salt bridge is indicated by placing double vertical lines
between the anode and the cathode
ᴼ Electrode potential is the potential difference that
develops between the electrode and its electrolyte. The
separation of charges at the equilibrium state results in
the potential difference between the metal and the
solution of its ions. It is the measure of tendency of an
O electrode in the half cell to lose or gain electrons.
O Standard electrode potential: When the concentration of
all the species involved in a half cell is unity, then the
electrode potential is known as standard electrode
potential. It is denoted as EΘ.
DANIELL CELL
 In the Daniell cell, copper and zinc electrodes are
immersed in a solution of copper (II) sulfate and
zinc sulfate respectively. At the anode, zinc is
oxidized per the following half reaction:
Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e- .

 At the cathode, copper is reduced per the
following reaction:
Cu2+(aq) + 2e- → Cu(s) .
 In the Daniell cell a wire and light bulb may
connect the two electrodes. Electrons that are
“pulled” from the zinc travel through the wire,
which must be a non-reactive conductor,
providing an electrical current that illuminates
the bulb.
 In such a cell, the sulfate ions play an important
role. Having a negative charge, these anions
build up around the anode to maintain a neutral
charge. At the cathode the copper (II) cations
(positively charged) accumulate to maintain this
neutral charge. These two processes cause copper
solid to accumulate at the cathode and the zinc
electrode to "dissolve" into the solution.
0 Since neither half reaction will occur independently
of the other, the two half cells must be connected in a
way that will allow ions to move freely between them.
A porous barrier or ceramic disk may be used to
separate the two solutions while allowing ion flow.
When the half cells are placed in two entirely
different and separate containers, a salt bridge is
often used to connect the two cells.
ELECTROLYTIC CELL
 Electrolytic cells are chemical cells composed of
a vessel used to do electrolysis, containing
electrolyte, usually a solution of water or other
solvents capable of dissolving various ions into
solution, and a cathode and anode. The
electrolyte in the cell is inert unless driven by
external voltage into a redox reaction with the
anode and cathode.
ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER
By using an electrolytic cell
composed of water, two
electrodes and an external
source emf one can reverse the
direction of the process and
create hydrogen and oxygen
from water and electricity. The
reaction at the anode is the
oxidation of water to O2 and
acid while the cathode reduces
water into H2 and hydroxide
ion. That reaction has a
potential of -2.06 V at standard
conditions.
HOW DO BATTERIES WORK

 Electrochemical power sources can be divided

into primary cells and secondary cells.
 Primary cells function only as galvanic cells. A
primary cell can either be a fuel cell or a battery.
A primary battery is thrown away when its active
materials are used up. Familiar primary cells are
in flashlights , watches, toys and radio.
 Secondary cells include storage cells,
accumulators, or rechargeable batteries .
Secondary cells are an electrochemical cells that
can act as a galvanic cell or, on recharge, as an
electrolytic cell. Secondary cells are in ignition,
starting in automobiles (car batteries) and
engine generator sets.
EQUILIBRIUM CELL VOLTAGE
 The voltage of a cell as measured by a voltmeter
when no current is flowing. Electrochemical
voltage is given as ∆E.
 Cell potentials are measured using standard
hydrogen electrode (SHE).
 SHE is made up of an aqueous solution of a
strong acid in which the effective H₃O+
concentration is 1.000M. A platinum electrode is dipped
into this solution and a stream of hydrogen gas at a
pressure of 1 atm bubbles in .
STANDARD ELECTRODE POTENTIAL
 It is the measured voltage when an electrode under
standard conditions of temperature, pressure, and
concentration is paired with a standard hydrogen
electrode in an equilibrium cell.
 Standard electrode potentials are usually given in a
tabular form and are called as the electrochemical
series.

Std hydrogen
Electrode
 Standard electrode potentials are usually
tabulated
 as reduction potentials.

 The reactions are reversible and the role of

particular
 electrode in a cell depends on the relative oxi./red.

 Potential of both electrodes.

 The cell potential is then calculated as the sum of

 reduction potential for cathode and the oxidation

 potential for anode.

 For example, the standard electrode potential for

a copper electrode is:
 Cell diagram
 Pt(s) | H2 (1 atm) | H* (1 M) II Cu2+ (1 M) I

 Cu(s)

 E cell = E red (cathode) - E red (anode)

GIBBS FREE ENERGY AND CELL
POTENTIAL
 Though cell potential Cell and get electricity n
faraday in the cell:
Δ G= -nFEcell

 For standard cell, this equation can we written

ΔG = -RTInk=-nFE cell
 Though produce of electric energy converted into

electric work,
Wmax= Welectrical= -nFEcell
NERST’S EQUATION
0 Nernst studied the variation of electrode potential of an
electrode with temperature and concentration of
electrolyte.
0 Nernst formulated a relationship between standard
electrode potential EΘ and electrode potential E.
 Nernst equation when applied to a cell, it helps in
calculating the cell potential.
ELECTRICAL RESTIVITY
 It is an intrinsic property that quantities how
strongly a given material opposes the flow of
electrical current.
 Many resistors and conductors have a uniform
cross section with a uniform flow of electric
current and made of one material.
 The electrical resistivity defined
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY
 The reciprocal of electrical resistivity, and
measures a material's ability to conduct an
electric current.
 It is commonly represented by σ.

 Conductivity is defined as

 Conductivity SI units of Siemens per meter.

MOLAR CONDUCTIVITY
 Molar conductivity is defined as the conductivity
of an electrolyte solution divided by the molar
concentration of the electrolyte, and so measures
the efficiency with which a given electrolyte
conducts electricity in solution.
 From definition, the molar conductivity

 Two cases should be distinguished:

➢ Strong electrolyte and weak electrolyte
➢ For strong electrolyte

 Salts, strong acids and strong bases, the molar

conductivity depends only weakly on concentration.

➢ For weak electrolyte

 The molar conductivity strongly depends on

concentration.
 The more dilute a solution, the greater its molar

conductivity, due to increased ionic dissociation.

 For weak electrolyte obeys Oswald's dilulation
law.
KOHLRAUSCH'S LAW OF INDEPENDENT
MIGRATION OF IONS

 High accuracy in dilute solutions, molar

conductivity is composed of individual
contributions of ions.

 Limiting conductivity of anions and cations are

additive, the conductivity of a solution of a salt is
equal to the sum of conductivity contributions from
the cation and anion
QUANTITATIVE ELECTROLYSIS AND
FARADAY'S LAW
 Quantitative aspects of electrolysis were
originally developed by Michel faraday .
 Faraday is also credited to have coined the terms

electrolyte.
 Electrolysis among many others while studying

analysis of electrochemical reactions.

 Faraday advocate of the law of conservation of
energy.
FIRST LAW
 The mass of products yielded on the electrodes
was proportional to the the value of current
supplied to the cell,the length of time the current
existed, and the molar mass of the substance
analyzed.
 The amount of substance deposited on each
electrode of an electrolytic cell is directly
proportional to the quantity of electricity passed
through the cell.
SECOND LAW
 The amounts of bodies which are equivalent to
each other in the ordinary chemical action have
equal quantities of electricity naturally
associated with them.
 The quantities of different elements deposited by
a given amount of electricity are in the ratio of
the chemical equivalent weights.
APPLIED ASPECTS OF
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
 Industrial electrolytic processes
 Electrochemical Reactors

 Batteries

 Fuel cells

 Some Electrochemical Devices

 Electrochemical Methods of Analysis

APPLICATION OF ELECTROCHEMISTRY
 There are various extremely important
electrochemical processes in both nature and
industry.
 The coating of objects with metals or metal oxides
through electro deposition and the detection of
alcohol in drunken drivers through the redox
reaction of ethanol.
 Diabetes blood sugar meters measure the amount
of glucose in the blood through its redox
potential.
 The generation of chemical energy through
photosynthesis in inherently an electrochemical
process.
 Production of metals like aluminium and
titanium from their ores.
• For Photo electrochemistry

 Artificial photosynthesis

 Regenerative cell or Dye-sensitized cell

 Photo electrochemical splitting of water

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Google- www.google.com
 Youtube-www.youtube.com

 Vedantu –www.vedantu.com

 NCERT Chemistry Book