DAYANAND sr. sec.

SCHOOL
SESSION (2022-2023)

PHYSICS
PROJECT REPORT

To study the various factor on

which internal resistance/emf
of a cell depend.

SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
Mrs. PRIYANKA SINGLA
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ajay Kumar of class XII has

successfully completed the investigatory project
on the topic “To study the various factor on
which internal resistance/emf of a cell
depend” under my guidance during the year
2022-2023 in the partial fulfillment of the
physics practical examination conducted by
CBSE.

Teacher

External Examiner Principal

 INDEX

1. Declaration 1

2. Acknowledgement 2

3. Introduction 3-4

4. Objective/ Aim 5
5. Apparatus 6

6. Diagram and Theory 7–8

7. Procedure 9 - 11

8. Observations 12 – 13

9. Conclusion 14

10. Precautions 15

11. Bibliography 16
 DECLARATION

I do hereby declare that this project work has

been originally carried under the guidance and
Supervision of Mrs. Priyanka Singla, Physics
Teacher, Dayanand Sr. Sec. School, Sirsa.

AJAY KUMAR
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to sincerely and profusely thank my

Physics teacher Ms. Priyanka Singla, for her able
guidance and support in completing my project. I
would also like to extend my gratitude to the principal
for providing me with all the facility that was required.
Last but not the least, I would extend my gratitude
towards all teaching and non teaching staff of
Dayanand Sr. Sec. School and towards my friends who
has supported me to complete this project.

AJAY KUMAR
 INTRODUCTION
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
An electrochemical cell is a device by which electric energy is generated
at the cost of chemical energy due to chemical action taking place in the
cell. They are of two types:
1. Primary Cells
2. Secondary Cells
PRIMARY CELL: It is the cell in which electrical energy is produced due
to chemical energy. The chemical reaction in the cell is irreversible.
E.g. Daniel cell, Leclanche cell.
SECONDARY CELL: It is that cell in which the electrical energy is first
stored up as chemical energy and when the outside circuit is closed to
draw the current from the cell the stored chemical energy is reconverted
into electrical energy. The chemical reactions in this case are reversible.
E.g. lead acid accumulator, Edison cell.
DANIEL CELL

The Daniel cell was invented by a British chemist, John

Frederic Daniel. In the Daniel cell, copper and zinc
Electrodes are immersed in a solution of copper (II)
sulphate (CuSO4 (aq)) and zinc (II) sulphate (ZnSO4 (aq))
respectively. The two half cells are connected through a salt
bridge. Here zinc acts as anode and copper acts as cathode.
At the anode, zinc undergoes oxidation to form zinc ions and
electrons. The zinc ions pass into the solution. If the two
electrodes are connected using an external wire, the
electrons produced by the oxidation of zinc travel through
the wire and enter into the copper cathode, where they
reduce the copper ions present in the solution and form
copper atoms that are deposited on the cathode.
The difference of excess electrons on the anode and deficit
of electrons on the cathode creates an electrical potential
between the two electrodes .The ions pass through the salt
bridge to maintain charge balance until such a time as the
anode and cathode reach electrical equilibrium of zero volts
as chemical equilibrium is reached in the cell.
The so-called "salt bridge" is not made of salt but could be
made of material able to wick the cations and anions (salts)
in the solutions, where the flow of positively charged cations
along the "bridge" amounts to the same number of negative
charges flowing in the opposite direction.
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
Electromotive force, also called emf (denoted and measured
In volt), is the voltage developed by any source of
electrical energy such as a battery or dynamo. It is
generally defined as the electrical potential for a
source in a circuit.
 OBJECTIVE
To study the various factor on which
internal resistance/emf of a cell depend.
 APPARATUS

A potentiometer, a battery, two way keys, a

rheostat of low resistance, a galvanometer, a
high resistance, an ammeter, a cell, a Jockey,
a set square, connecting wires, water bath,
thermometer, burner, tripod stand, wire gauge.
DIAGRAM
 THEORY

The internal resistance of a cell is the resistance offered

by its electrolyte to the low of ions. The internal
resistance of a cell
a) is directly proportional to the distance between the electrodes.
b) is inversely proportional to facing surface area of the
electrodes in electrolyte.
C) decrease with increase in temperature of electrolyte.
d) is inversely proportional to concentration of electrolyte.

where l1, l2 are the balancing lengths without resistance and with
resistance (shunt) , respectively and R is the shunt resistance in
parallel with the given cell.
 PROCEDURE
Step 1
a) Draw the circuit diagram showing the scheme of
connections.
b) Clean the ends of the connecting wires with sand paper
and make tight connections according to the circuit
diagrams.
c) Tight the plugs of the resistance box.
d) Check the emf. of the battery and cell and see that
e) Emf and see that emf of the battery is more than that of
given cell, otherwise null or balance point will not be
obtained (E' >E).
f) Take maximum current from the battery, making rheostat
resistance small.
g) To test the corrections of the connections.(insert the plug
in the key K1 and note the ammeter reading Take out
2000 ohm resistance plug from resistance box. Place the
jokey first at the end P of the wire and then at the end Q. If
the galvanometer shows deflection in opposite direction in
the two cases the connections are correct).
h)Without inserting the plug in the key K2 adjusts the
rheostat so that a null point is obtained on the 4th wire of
potentiometer.
 i) Insert the 2000 ohm plug back in the position in resistance
box and by slightly adjusting the jockey near
j) The previous obtained position of null point, obtain null
point position accurately, using a set square.
k)Measure the balancing length l1 between the point and the
end P of the wire.
l) Take out the 2000 ohm plug again from the resistance box
R.B. introduce plugs in the key K, as well as in key K2. Take
out small resistance (1-5 Ω) from the resistance box R
connected in parallel with the cell.
m) Slide the jockey along the potentiometer wire and obtain
null point.
n) Insert 2000 ohms plug back in its position in R.B. and if
necessary make further adjustment for sharp null point.
o) Measure the balancing length l2 from end P.
p) Remove the plug keys at K1 and K2 .Wait for some time
and for the same value of current (as shown by ammeter)
repeat the steps 7 to 13.
q) Repeat the observations for different values of R repeating
each observation twice.
r) Calculate the internal resistance of cell by using the above
relation for R.

Step 2
To see the effect of distance between the electrodes on
internal resistances keeping the other factors
constant, vary separation between electrodes and measure
internal resistance in each case.
Step 3
To see the effect of the temperature of electrolyte on internal
resistance by keeping other factors constant.
Keep primary cells in water bath to heat the electrolyte.
Determine the internal resistance at various temperatures.

Step 4
To see the effect of concentration (nature) of electrolyte on
internal resistance by:-
Keeping the other factors constant, decrease concentration
of electrolyte by adding the distilled water and Determine
internal resistance of cell in each case.
 OBSERVATION
1. Table for internal resistance:-

S. AMMETER POS.OF NULL POINTS SHUNT r=(l2-l1/l1)R

N READING (cm) RESISTANCE
O. (R)
(A)
WITH R WITHOUT R

1. 0.3 660.5 35.5 1 0.94

2. 0.3 660.5 77.2 2 1.77

3. 0.3 660.5 108.3 3 2.51

S.NO. SEPARATION BALANCING BALANCING r=(l2- r/d
BETWEEN LENGTH LENGTH l1/l1)R
ELECTRODES -d (l1) (l2)
(cm)
1. 1.2 326.6 276.9 0.456 0.38

2. 2.5 320.7 219.1 0.95 0.38

3. 3.7 660.5 350.9 1.406 0.38

2.
Table for effect of separation between electrodes:-
 3. Table for effect of temperature:-

S.No. Temperature I1 I2 Resistance r=(l2-l1/l1)R R

1. 40 325 12 1 0.96 301.44

2. 32 552 23.6 1 0.95 291.96

3. 27 660.5 35.5 1 0.94 283.87

 CONCLUSION
a) The Electromotive Force of the cell is constant
and is equal to E = 0.98 Volt
b) The internal resistance of a cell is directly
proportional to the separation between the
electrodes.
c) The internal resistance of a cell is inversely
proportional to the area of the electrodes
dipped in electrolyte.
d) The internal resistance of a cell is inversely
proportional to the temperature of
electrolytes.
e) The internal resistance of a cell is inversely
proportional to the concentration of the
electrolyte.
 PRECAUTIONS
 The connections should be neat, clean and
tight.
 The plugs should be introduced in the keys
only when the observations are to be taken.
 The positive polls of the battery E and cells
E1 and E2 should, all be connected to the
terminal at the zero of the wires.
 The jockey key should not be rubbed along
the wire. It should touch the wire gently.
 The ammeter reading should remain
constant for a particular set of observation.
 If necessary adjust the rheostat for this
purpose.
 The emf of the battery should be greater
than emf of the either of the two cells.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 HELP FROM INTERNET

 HELP FROM TEACHERS

 NCERT TEXTBOOK

 NCERT Physics Lab Manual

 www.google.com

 www.scribd.com

 www.wikipedia.com