Electrochemical Cell / Voltaic cell.

Aim: To create an electrochemical cell.

Equipment:  Copper metal, Copper nitrate ion, Zinc metal, Zinc nitrate ion, Salt bridge, Potassium nitrate. Two 250ml beakers, and a 100ml beaker, a voltmeter, paper and sellotape. Metal scrub.

Method: 

1. Fill one 250ml beaker with copper nitrate. Fill the other 250ml beaker with zinc nitrate.
2. Fill the 100ml beaker with potassium nitrate.
3. Fold a tissue until it is a long strip, sellotape it to keep it like that.
4. Scrub the metals clean.
5. Attach one of the voltmeter wires to the Copper metal.
6. Attach one of the voltmeter wires to the Zinc metal.
7. Place the Copper metal into the beaker with the Copper nitrate ion inside it.
8. Place the Zinc metal into the beaker with the Zinc nitrate ion inside it.
9. Pour Potassium nitrate onto the strip of paper.
10. Place the strip of paper into from one beaker to the other.
11. Record results.

Results: Making my electrochemical cell went quite well. My group did not run into any problems.
We created 0.895 volts. However, the theoretical amount of volts from an electrochemical cell is 1.10.

Discussion: An electochemical cell is capable of either generating electrical energy from chemical reactions or using electrical energy to cause chemical reactions. The kind of electrochemical cell that can be recharged is an electrolytic cell. An electrolytic cell also consists of two beakers filled with electrolytes into which electrodes are dipped.