Topic 9.

2 Electrochemical cells
Essential idea:
• Voltaic cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy and
electrolytic cells convert electrical energy to chemical energy.

Nature of science:
• Ethical implications of research—the desire to produce energy can be
driven by social needs or profit. (4.5)
Electrochemical cells
Simple
voltaic cell
generate electricity
using redox reaction

two half-cells connected

*internally by a salt bridge
*externally by wires
Daniell Cell
• First voltaic cell produced in large scale
(first version from 1836)
• Used in telegraph stations and railways signals

• Sheet of copper metal and sheet of zinc metal

separated by a sheet of paper soaked in concentrated
salt solution

Produced very little electricity

Cell
• Single chemical unit producing electricity
Battery
• Several cells joined together
Copper-Zinc Voltaic cell
LAB Voltaic Cells
Voltaic cell: Silver-Zinc vs Silver-Copper
different half-cells make voltaic cells with different
voltages
Cell diagram
Voltaic cells
• Summarized:
Eletrolytic cells
External source of electrical energy is used to bring about a redox reaction
that would otherwise be non-spontaneous.
Electro: ”electricity”
Lysis: ”breakdown”

Electrolyte
• liquid that contains
the reactants
• ionically conducting
Electrode
• place of the redox reactions
• electronically conducting
Ions are discharged
Reactive metals / Non-metals
Reactive metals
• aluminium, lithium, magnesium, sodium and potassium
• found naturally as positive ions in compounds like Al2O3, NaCl

Extraction of these reactive metals

• involves reduction of these ions
• BUT no good reducing agents available

Electrolysis is the only way to extract metals from their ores

Non-metals
• industrial production also uses electrolysis

Electroplating and anodization

Electrolytic cell
• Anode (positive electrode): oxidation
Anions lose electrons
A –  A + e–
• Cathode (negative electrode): reduction
M+ + e–  M
cations gain electrons

• Charges on electrodes are inverted in an electrolytic cell

compared to a voltaic cell

• the redox reaction defines the electrode

(not the electrical charge)
• oxidation always at the anode
• reduction always at the cathode
• eletrons flow from anode to cathode
 Determine the products
in electrolytic cells

1. ion migration

2. reaction, possible
write half-equations

3. balance electrons
add half-equations

4. observable changes
Electrolysis of molten salt
Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride
Electroplating
Electroplating: a widely used application of electrolysis
An electrolytic cell used for electroplating
• an electrolyte containing metal ions which are to be deposited
• the cathode made of the object to be plated
• sometimes the anode is made of the same metal which is to be coated –
supply of ions

Used for corrosion control

only HL
SL chapter: exercises #16-18