A PROJECT REPORT ON

“ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS”

Submitted By
VINEET KUMAR
CLASS-XII C

Under The Guidance of

Mr Roopendra Singh Madhukar (PGT Chemistry)
Kendriya Vidyalaya ASC Centre (s) Bangalore,
Karnataka
 CONTENTS

1. CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
2. INTRODUCTION
3. EXPERIMENTAL ARRANGEMENT
4. REPRESENTATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL
5. SALT BRIGADE AND ITS FUNCTION
6. TO CALCULATE THE STANDARD OF EMF
7. SOME IMPORTANT FEATURES
8. PROCEDURE
9. OBSERVATIONS
10. REFERENCES
 CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

This is to certify that VINEET KUMAR of class XII C has

prepared the report on the Project entitled “ELECTROCHEMICAL
CELLS”. The report is the result of her efforts & endeavors. The
report is found worthy of acceptance as final project report for the
subject Chemistry of Class XII. He has prepared the report under
my guidance.

(Mr Roopendra Singh Madhukar)

PGT (Chemistry)
Dept. of English
KV ASC Centre (S)
Bangalore-560047
 INTRODUCTION

Electro Chemical Cell : Whenever a redox reaction is

allowed to take place directly in a single beaker, it is found
that the solution becomes hot. For example, when a zinc is
placed in a copper solution (Fig. 1), the solution is found to
warmer as the reaction proceeds according to the equation.

Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) ---> ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)

Similar results are observed when a rod of copper is

placed in silver solution. The reaction taking place as follows:

Cu(s) + 2 AgNO3 ---> CuNO3 + 2 Ag

Thus, we conclude that whenever a redox takes place

directly in a single beaker, chemical energy in the form of
heat is produced . By suitable means it is possible to bring
out the redox reaction indirectly so as to convert the
chemical energy into the electrical energy.

A device used to convert the chemical energy into

electrical energy is called Electrochemical cell O2 Voltaic cell
after the name of Luigi Galvani (1780) and Alessandro volta
(1800) who were the first to perform experiment on
conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy.
 EXPERIMENTAL ARRANGEMENT
 
A zinc rod is placed in the zinc sulphate solution taken in
a beaker. A copper rod is placed in the copper sulphate
solution taken in another beaker. The two rods are
connected by a wire and two solutions are connected by a
salt bridge.
REPRESENTATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL
 

An electrochemical cell is represented in a manner as

illustrated below for the denial cell.
Zn / Zn2+ (C1) || Cu2+ (C2) / Cu
i.e. by convention, the electrode on which oxidation takes
place is written on the left hand side and the other electrode
on which reduction takes place is written on the right hand
side. The electrode of the left hand side is written by writing
the symbol of the metal (of the gas) first followed by the
symbol of the ion with its concentration in brackets. The
electrode on the right hand side is written by first writing the
ion along with its concentration in brackets followed by the
symbol of the metal (or the gas) single vertical line represent
the phase boundaries of the electrode and the double line
represents the concentration of Zn2+ and Cu2+ ion
respectively.

 
 SALT BRIGADE AND ITS FUNCTION

A salt- brigade is a U-shaped tube containing

concentrated solution of an inert electrolyte like KCI, KNO3,
K2SO4 etc. or solidified solution of such an electrolyte in agar-
agar and gelatine. An inert electrolyte is one whose ions do
not take part in the redox reaction and also do not react with
electrolyte used. The function of the salt bridge is to allow
the movement of the ions from one solution to the other
without mixing of the two solutions. Thus, whereas the
electrons flow in the outer circuit in the wire, the inner circuit
is completed by the flow of ions from one solution to the
other through the salt bridge moreover, it helps to maintain
the electrical neutrality of the solution is the two half cells.
Thus main function of the salt brigade are:-
(i) To complete the electrical circuit by allowing the ions
to flow form one solution to the other without mixing of
the two solutions.
(ii) To maintain the electrical neutrality of the solutions in
the two half cells.
Let us see what would happen if the salt bridge were not
used in the cells shown in Fig. 2 electrons given out by the
zinc electrode where they will neutralize some of the Cu 2+
ions of the solution. Thus SO42- will not leave and the
solution will acquire a negative charge. At the same time,
Zn2+ ions produced from zinc plate will enter into ZnSo4
solution thus giving will stop and hence the current stops
working.

TO CALCULATE THE STANDARD OF EMF OF ANY

ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

An electrochemical cell is based on reaction which can

be split into the two half reaction, viz.
(i) Oxidation half reaction
(ii) Reduction half reaction
Standard EMF of the cell = (Standard reduction potential of
the reduction half reaction) - (Standard reduction potential of
the oxidation half reaction)
 IMPORTANT FEATURES

Above cell may be summed up as follows:-

(i) The zinc electrode at which oxidation takes

place is called the anode. The copper electrode at which
the reduction takes place is called the cathode.
(ii) Since electrons are produced at the zinc
electrodes, this electrode is rich in electrons pushes the
electrons into the external circuit and hence it is
designated as the negative pole. The other electrode
i.e., the copper electrode is in the need of electrons for
the reduction of Cu2+ ions into the Cu i.e., this electrode
is deficient in electrons and pulse the electrons from the
external circuit, therefore it acts as the positive pole.
(iii) The electrons flow from the negative pole to the
positive pole in the external circuit. However,
conventionally, this current is set to flow in the opposite
direction.
(iv) The oxidation of zinc into ions produces excess
of zn42+ ions in the left beaker. Similarly, the reduction of
copper ions to copper atoms leaves the excess. So, the
ions in the solution in the right beaker. To maintain
electrical neutrality of the solution in the two beakers,
the cations and anions move through the salt bridge.
The cells to complete the inner circuit as already
mentioned.
(v) As copper form copper sulphate solution is
deposited on the copper electrode and sulphate ions
migrate to the other side, the concentration of the
copper sulphate solution decreases the cell operates
consequently the current falls the passage of time.
(vi) Evidently, the weight of the copper rod will
increase while that of zinc rod will decrease as the cell
works.
 PROCEDURE

1. Take two clean beakers.

2. In one beaker take 0.5 M copper sulphatesolution and in
the other take 0.5 M zinc sulphate solution.

3. Take a copper strip and clean it using a sand paper.

4. Dip the copper strip into the beaker containing the 1 M
copper sulphate solution.

5. Similarly, take a zinc strip and clean it using a sand paper.

6. Then dip it into the beaker containing 1 M zinc sulphate

solution.

7. Take a salt bridge and connect the two solutions using the
salt bridge.

8. Take a voltmeter and connect the copper strip to the

positive terminal and the zinc strip to the negative terminal using
connecting wires.

9. Note the position of the pointer in the voltmeter and record

the reading.
10. Repeat the experiment by taking different concentrations
of zinc sulphate and copper sulphate solutions.

OBSERVATION

Sl. No MCuSO 4 MZnSO 4

EMF

1. 0.5 M 0.5 M 0.98 V

2. 0.5 M 0.25 M 0.81 V

3. 0.25 M 0.25 M 0.90 V

 CONCLUSION

With these observations, we conclude that EMF of the

cell increases with decrease in the concentration of the
electrolyte around the anode and with increase in the
concentration of the electrolyte around the cathode.
 REFERENCES

1. Chemistry Part-I, Textbook for class XII

2.

http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Di-Fa/Electrochemistry.h
tml
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniell_cell

4. http://chemcollective.org/chem/Electro
chem/step2_cell.php