GALVANIC CELLS 1

Lab No. 3

Date: 22/06/21

Title: Galvanic Cell

Objective: To complete a detailed diagram of each galvanic cell listed within the experiment,

determine the half-reactions and complete reactions occurring in each cell, and calculate the cell

potential for each cell.

Materials and Apparatus:

1. 3 beakers (150 ml)

2. Alligator clips

3. Voltmeter

4. Filter Paper

Chemicals

1. 1 M Copper Nitrate

2. 1 M Zinc Nitrate

3. 1 M Silver Nitrate

4. 0.5 M Potassium Nitrate

Procedures:

Part A: Building the Cu-Zn cell

1. Three empty beakers were labelled as “Copper,” Zinc,” and “Silver.”

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2. One of the wires with alligator clips was used to attach one alligator clip to the red (+)

wire of the voltage probe and the other alligator clip to either the zinc or copper strip.

This was repeated for the black (-) wire and the other metals. Each of the metal strips

were lowered into the correctly labelled beaker.

3. Copper (II) nitrate was poured into the beaker with the copper strip and zinc nitrate to the

beaker with the zinc strip and the beakers were about half full.

4. A piece of filter paper was removed from the potassium nitrate solution using forceps,

and it was draped over the two beakers so that the two ends were immersed in the zinc

and the copper solutions.

5. A positive value was seen on the voltmeter from the simulator and the voltage was then

recorded.

Part B: Building the Cu-Ag cell

1. Steps 1-5 from part A were repeated using copper and copper (II) nitrate along with

Silver and Silver nitrate this time.

C: Building the Ag-Zn cell 1.

1. The same procedures as before were repeated once more, but silver and silver nitrate

along with zinc and zinc nitrate were used instead.

Observation:
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Galvanic Cell Voltage

Cu-Zn 1.10
Ag-Cu 0.46
Ag-Zn 1.56
TABLE SHOWING THE VOLTAGE FOR EACH GALVANIC CELLS

Cu-Zn cell data (Part A)

DIAGRAM SHOWING COPPER-ZINC GALVANIC CELL

Voltage reading: +1.10V

Reaction in half-cell: Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e-(oxidized)

Reaction in half-cell: Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- → Cu(s) (reduced)

Overall reaction: Zn(s) + Cu2+ (aq) → Zn2+ (aq) + Cu(s)

Cell potential if solutions are 1 M at 25 oC:

Ecell= Ecathode – Eanode = 0.34V - (-0.76V) = +1.1V

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Label the parts of the cell on the drawing below. (Use the letters).

• Zinc anode (-) A

• Copper cathode (+) B

• Salt Bridge C

• Arrow showing direction of electron flow D

• Chemical formula of solution in left beaker F (Cu (NO3)2 (aq) (Letter plus formula)

• Chemical formula of solution in right beaker G (Zn (NO3)2 (aq) (Letter plus

formula)

• Chemical formula of solution in salt bridge C (KNO3) (Letter plus formula)

• Cell voltage of your cell E (+1.10V) (Letter plus voltage)

Cu-Ag cell data (Part B)

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DIAGRAM SHOWING COPPER AND SILVER GALVANIC CELL

Voltage reading: +0.46V

Reaction in half-cell: Cu(s) → Cu 2+(aq) + 2e- (Oxidized)
Reaction in half-cell: Ag+ (aq) + e- → Ag(s) (Reduced)
Overall reaction: Cu(s) + 2Ag+ (aq) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2Ag(s)
Cell potential if solutions are 1 M at 25 OC:
Ecell= Ecathode – Eanode =0.80V - 0.34V = +0.46V

Label the parts of the cell on the drawing below. (Use the letters).
• Silver anode B
• Copper cathode A
• Salt Bridge C
• Arrow showing direction of electron flow D
• Chemical formula of solution in left beaker F (Cu (NO3)2 (aq) (Letter plus formula)
• Chemical formula of solution in right beaker G AgNO3(aq) (Letter plus formula)
• Chemical formula of solution in salt bridge C KNO3(aq) (Letter plus formula)
• Cell voltage of your cell E (+0.46V) (Letter plus voltage)
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Ag-Zn cell data (Part C)

DIAGRAM SHOWING ZINC AND SILVER GALVANIC CELL

Voltage reading: +1.56V

Reaction in half-cell: Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e- (Oxidized)
Reaction in half-cell: Ag+ (aq) + e- → Ag(s) (Reduced)
Overall reaction: Zn(s) + 2Ag+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + 2Ag(s)
Cell potential if solutions are 1 M at 25 0C: Ecell= Ecathode – Eanode 0.80V - (- 0.76V) = +1.56V
GALVANIC CELLS 7

Label the parts of the cell on the drawing below. (Use the letters).
• Zinc anode A
• Silver cathode B
• Salt Bridge C
• Arrow showing direction of electron flow D (direction)
• Chemical formula of solution in left beaker F AgNO3(aq) (Letter plus formula)
• Chemical formula of solution in right beaker G (Zn (NO3)2(aq) (Letter plus formula)
Chemical formula of solution in salt bridge C (KNO3) (Letter plus formula)
• Cell voltage of your cell E +1.56V (Letter plus voltage)
Discussion:
Galvanic cell is an electrochemical cell that transforms chemical energy from spontaneous redox

reactions into electrical energy. Using the knowledge of Gibbs free energy (G), the voltage

obtained is positive since the reaction is spontaneous. Half equations are used to demonstrate

chemical processes. Half equations depict the reaction that takes place at a single electrode.

During the experiment two beakers, each with an electrode, a negative anode and a positive

cathode, as well as their respective solutions When the electron flow was turned on, a voltmeter

was attached to the two electrodes to measure the voltage through the electron flow. Oxidation

occurred in the beaker with the anode, because whatever metal the anode was began to lose

electrons and mass, producing ions of that metal, whereas reduction occurred in the beaker with

the cathode, where it gained electrons and mass, because the ions of the metal in the solution

were attracted to the electrons and mass. Form fresh solidified chunks of the same metal after

that. A salt bridge was added to both beakers to connect the solution where oxidation and

reduction were taking place, and it included a strong electrolyte such as KNO3 that split apart

with K+ moving towards the anode and NO3- going towards the cathode. It kept the internal

circuit electrically neutral. Electromotive Forces, which revealed the voltage created by half
GALVANIC CELLS 8

reactions, were used to derive the cell potential, which was determined using the formula: Ecell

=ECathode -Eanode. The cell potential for copper and zinc was 1.10V, while for silver and

copper it was 0.46V and lastly for silver and zinc it was 1.56V.

Source of error:

1. Electrodes were connected in the wrong positions given negative values for voltage.

Limitation:

1. The chemicals used were impure.

2. Due to the pandemic a simulator was used as an alternative but it didn’t give accurate

values.

Conclusion:

During the experiment 3 galvanic cells were constructed and analyzed. A detailed diagram for

each was even displayed. The half reactions for each experiment was also found along with the

complete reaction: for copper and zinc cell the half reaction was Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e-

(oxidized),Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- → Cu(s) (reduced) and the overall reaction was Zn(s) + Cu2+ (aq) →

Zn2+ (aq) + Cu(s) with a cell potential of +1.10V. Then for silver and copper galvanic cell was

half-cell: Cu(s) → Cu 2+(aq) + 2e- (Oxidized), Ag+ (aq) + e- → Ag(s) (Reduced) and the overall

reaction: Cu(s) + 2Ag+ (aq) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2Ag(s) with a cell potential of +0.46V. A for the last

experiment wich was silver and zinc the half reactions were Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e- (Oxidized),

Ag+ (aq) + e- → Ag(s) (Reduced) and the Overall reaction: Zn(s) + 2Ag+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) +

2Ag(s) along with a cellpoential of +1.56V

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References
Libretexts. (2021, April 7). Balancing Redox Reactions - Examples. Chemistry LibreTexts.

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(

Analytical_Chemistry)/Electrochemistry/Redox_Chemistry/Balancing_Redox_reactions/

Balancing_Redox_Reactions_-_Examples#:%7E:text=Oxidation%2DReduction%20or

%20%22redox%22,used%20to%20balance%20these%20reactions.&text=The

%20equation%20is%20separated%20into,oxidation%2C%20and%20one%20for

%20reduction.

A. (2021a, March 22). General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) Guidelines BYJU’S. BYJUS.

https://byjus.com/chemistry/galvanic-cell/

A. (2021b, March 22). General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) Guidelines BYJU’S.

BYJUS. https://byjus.com/chemistry/electrochemical-cell/