Question

What is the potential of copper concentration cells?

Answer 1

Concentration Cells

1. Concentration cells operate by moving electrons from the lower concentration cell to the higher concentration cell to maintain equilibrium.
2. Electrochemical cells consist of two half-cells where the electrodes are the same but differ in the concentration of these cells. As a result, a potential difference is produced. These are called concentration cells.
3. Thus, using the Nernst equation, the electrode potential differentiation between the two half-cells can be determined.
4. The more concentrated solution is filtered and the more diluted solution is concentrated by a concentration cell, producing a voltage as the cell approaches an equilibrium. This is done by switching the electrons from the lower concentration cell to the higher concentration cell.

Calculation of Potential of Copper Concentration Cells

1. For a concentration cell, ${\mathrm{E}}^{°}=0$ because both compartments are identical. For the copper concentration cell, the number of electrons transferred per copper atom is 2. Therefore, $\mathrm{n}=2$.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{At}\mathrm{anode} \\ \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to {\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2{\mathrm{e}}^{-} \\ \mathrm{At}\mathrm{cathode} \\ {\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2{\mathrm{e}}^{-}\to \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right) \end{gathered}$$