Explain the working of a voltaic cell.
Explain the working of a voltaic cell.
Voltaic cell consists of two electrodes, one of copper and the other of zinc dipped in a solution of dilute sulphuric acid in a glass vessel.
The working principle of voltaic cell depends upon the principle that, whenever two dissimilar metals are immersed inside an electrolyte solution, the more reactive metal will have a tendency to dissolve in the electrolyte as positive metal ions, leaving electrons behind on the metal plate. This phenomenon makes the more reactive metal plate negatively charged.
Less reactive metal will attract positive ions present in the electrolyte, and hence these positive ions are deposited on the plate and make the plate positively charged. Here in this case of simple voltaic cell, the zinc comes out in the sulfuric acid solution as positive ion and then reacts with negative SO2−4 ion of the solution and forms zinc sulfate ZnSO4. As the copper is less reactive metal, the positive hydrogen ions of the sulfuric acid solution have a tendency to get deposited on the copper plate. More and more zinc ions coming out in the solution means, more and more number of electrons they leave in the zinc plate. These electrons then pass through the external conductor connected between zinc and copper plates. On reaching on the copper plate, these electrons then combine with the hydrogen atoms deposited on the plate and form neutral hydrogen atoms. These atoms then combine in pairs to form molecules of hydrogen which lastly come up along the copper plate in form of hydrogen bubbles.
Voltaic cell consists of two electrodes, one of copper and the other of zinc dipped in a solution of dilute sulphuric acid in a glass vessel.
The working principle of voltaic cell depends upon the principle that, whenever two dissimilar metals are immersed inside an electrolyte solution, the more reactive metal will have a tendency to dissolve in the electrolyte as positive metal ions, leaving electrons behind on the metal plate. This phenomenon makes the more reactive metal plate negatively charged.
Less reactive metal will attract positive ions present in the electrolyte, and hence these positive ions are deposited on the plate and make the plate positively charged. Here in this case of simple voltaic cell, the zinc comes out in the sulfuric acid solution as positive ion and then reacts with negative SO2−4 ion of the solution and forms zinc sulfate ZnSO4. As the copper is less reactive metal, the positive hydrogen ions of the sulfuric acid solution have a tendency to get deposited on the copper plate. More and more zinc ions coming out in the solution means, more and more number of electrons they leave in the zinc plate. These electrons then pass through the external conductor connected between zinc and copper plates. On reaching on the copper plate, these electrons then combine with the hydrogen atoms deposited on the plate and form neutral hydrogen atoms. These atoms then combine in pairs to form molecules of hydrogen which lastly come up along the copper plate in form of hydrogen bubbles.
