if copper sulphate will be used as a electrolyte and zinc and copper as electrodes....expalin the whole mechanism.......please......and tell me thet will zinc be at the higher potential or at the lower potential....i.e will zinc be negatively charged or positively charged and whyyy???
this is the a voltaic cell, two dissimilar metals ( copper and zinc) are immersed in an electrolyte ( a dissolved sulfate). If the metals are connected by an external circuit, one metal is reduced (gains electrons) while the other metal is oxidized ( loses electrons). copper is reduced and zinc is oxidized. The difference in the oxidation potentials of the two metals provides the electric power of the cell. Zn/ZnSO4 // CuSO4/Cu 2e- + Cu2+ ------> Cu reduction reaction of Cu ions to form copper metal. The valence state of copper is reduced from 2+ to 0 Zn --------> Zn2+ + 2e- oxidation reaction of zinc metal to a zinc ion Standard Reduction Potentials: Cu2+/Cu Eo = +0.340 V Zn2+/Zn Eo = -0.76V Cu has the highest reduction potential In order for a battery to work dE > 0 dE= Er - Eo dE = ECu - EZn = 0.34V - (-0.76V) = 1.12V this is the EMF ( electromotive force) Thats the way the battery works... sorry for my english
