AP Chemistry Lab Handout 16 - Electrochemistry Lab:"Wet Cell Battery"

AP Chemistry Lab Handout 16 - Electrochemistry Lab: “Wet Cell Battery ”

Your Name: ___________________________________

Lab Partners: ____________________________

Purpose: To determine what solution and electrode combination produces the greatest amount of current.

Materials:
     250 mL beaker    electrode holder        2 Copper electrodes
     Carbon electrode Aluminum electrode      Brass electrode
     Iron electrode     Lead electrode          Nickel electrode
     Zinc electrode     Tin electrode           voltmeter
     goggles            1.0 M Hydrochloric Acid 1.0 M Saltwater

Procedure:
1. Obtain goggles and wear them while working with the HCl.
2. Place about 100 mL of Hydrochloric Acid in the 250 mL beaker.
3. Clamp a Copper electrode in one of the electrode clips.
4. Clamp a second electrode in the other electrode clip.
5. Attach the red (positive) terminal of the voltmeter to the electrode      clip holding the Copper electrode.
6. Attach the black (negative) terminal of the voltmeter to the
     electrode clip holding the second electrode.
7. Lower the electrodes into the 250 mL beaker so that both electrodes
     are partially submerged in the HCl.
8. Record the reading of the voltmeter in the data table.
9. Remove the electrodes and rinse them with water.
10.Unclamp the second electrode and replace it with any other
     electrode.
11.Repeat steps 6 through 10 for all pairs listed in the data table.
     You will have to reverse the wires for the Carbon and Brass
     electrodes.
12.Conduct the experiment with about 100 mL of 1.0 M Saltwater in place
     of the HCl.

Data: (using 1.0 M Hydrochloric Acid)

Electrode Combination	Volts	Electrode Combination	Volts
Copper with Copper		Copper with Lead
Copper with Aluminum		Copper with Nickel
Copper with Brass		Copper with Tin
Copper with Carbon		Copper with Zinc
Copper with Iron

(using 1.0 M Saltwater)

Electrode Combination	Volts	Electrode Combination	Volts
Copper with Copper		Copper with Lead
Copper with Aluminum		Copper with Nickel
Copper with Brass		Copper with Tin
Copper with Carbon		Copper with Zinc
Copper with Iron

Calculations:
Write the two balanced half reactions, in an acidic solution, for the 8 cells that gave you a potential difference:

Calculate the E° for the 8 cells that gave you a potential difference:

Determine your percent error for E° for each cell.

Error Analysis:

Conclusion: _______________________________________________________

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