Galvanic Cells

We are given the standard cell potential

E%5E%5Ccirc_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BV%7D

, and the concentrations of

%5Ctext%7BZn%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D

and

%5Ctext%7BCu%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D

are 0.001 M and 0.1 M, respectively. We can use the **Nernst equation** to calculate the cell potential at these concentrations:

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%20E%5E%5Ccirc_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20-%20%5Cfrac%7B0.0592%7D%7Bn%7D%20%5Clog%20%5Cleft(%20%5Cfrac%7B%5B%5Ctext%7BZn%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D%5D%7D%7B%5B%5Ctext%7BCu%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D%5D%7D%20%5Cright)

Where: -

E%5E%5Ccirc_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BV%7D

, -

n%20%3D%202

(since the change in oxidation state for both Zn and Cu is 2), -

%5B%5Ctext%7BZn%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D%5D%20%3D%200.001%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BM%7D

, -

%5B%5Ctext%7BCu%7D%5E%7B2%2B%7D%5D%20%3D%200.1%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BM%7D

. ### Step 1: Apply the Nernst Equation Substitute the values into the Nernst equation:

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20-%20%5Cfrac%7B0.0592%7D%7B2%7D%20%5Clog%20%5Cleft(%20%5Cfrac%7B0.001%7D%7B0.1%7D%20%5Cright)

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20-%20%5Cfrac%7B0.0592%7D%7B2%7D%20%5Clog(0.01)

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20-%20%5Cfrac%7B0.0592%7D%7B2%7D%20%5Ctimes%20(-2)

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.1%20%2B%200.0592

E_%7B%5Ctext%7BCell%7D%7D%20%3D%201.05%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BV%7D

Thus, the cell potential at the given concentrations is:

%5Cboxed%7B(A)%20%5C%2C%201.05%20%5C%2C%20%5Ctext%7BV%7D%7D

Chapter Questions
2 MCQs