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Title Contributor Content Area(s) Grade Level Timeframe Necessary Lab Equipment
Electrochemical
Cell
Lab
(Battery
Lab)
Phillip
Cook
Chemistry
9-12
85
minutes
For
the
Pre-lab:
Various
batteries
(AAA,
AA,
C,
D,
as
well
as
some
Li-ion
coin-type
cells
as
well),
voltmeter
(I
prefer
using
Vernier
Logger
Pro
with
a
Differential
Voltage
probe,
but
use
what
you
have
available).
Per
group
of
two
students:
Multimeter
or
voltmeter;
3
oz.
conductive
dough;
carbon
source
(2
graphite
rods
or
equivalent);
two
10
x
10cm
sheets
of
aluminum
foil;
4
wires
with
alligator
clips;
various
LEDs
(red,
yellow,
orange
and
blue).
Optional:
Vernier
differential
voltage
probe
with
either
Lab
Quest
or
Go
Link
interface.
Chemistry SCI.C.4.6 2010 Determine oxidation states and identify the substances gaining and losing electrons in redox reactions. Integrated Chemistry Physics SCI.CP.6.3 2010 Using the example of electrolysis and its application in batteries, explain the relationship between chemical reactions and electrical energy. SCI.CP.6.4 2010 Define and describe the relationships among voltage, current resistance and power in open and closed electrical circuits. SCI.CP.6.5 2010 Describe the current-flow differences in parallel and series circuits. Physics SCI.P.4.3 2010 Describe electric potential energy and electric potential (i.e., voltage). Use voltage to explain the motion of electrical charges and the resulting electric currents in conductors. SCI.P.4.4 2010 Explain and analyze simple arrangements of electrical components in series and parallel circuits in terms of current, resistance, voltage and power. Use Ohms and Kirchhoffs laws to analyze circuits.
Indiana Standards
Students should be comfortable with balancing equations and writing chemical formulas After this activity, what should students be able to do? (SWBAT) Identify oxidation and reduction processes Determine the standard cell potential of an electrochemical cell Connect one or more electrochemical cells in series Measure the voltage in a circuit Construct a circuit which lights a single light emitting diode
Lesson Plan
Overview:
The
general
overview
of
the
lab
activity
is
as
follows:
Activity
Outline:
I. Pre-lab
i.
Alkaline
battery
demo
ii. Li-ion
demo
iii. Toy
demo
II. Lab
Activity
i. Cu-Zn
cell
analysis
ii. Aluminum-Air
battery
construction
&
testing
III. Post-Lab
IV. Follow-up
Discussion
Pre-Lab
Activity
For
the
pre-lab
questions,
you
will
be
demonstrating
several
types
of
batteries
in
front
of
the
class.
The
primary
goal
here
is
to
get
students
to
understand
that
the
size
of
a
battery
does
not
necessarily
determine
the
voltage
produced.
A
secondary
goal
is
to
demonstrate
how
to
connect
batteries
in
a
series.
Give
students
time
to
record
their
responses
to
each
pre-lab
question
as
you
progress
through
the
pre-lab.
Begin
by
showing
students
how
you
will
measure
the
voltage
of
a
battery
(either
with
a
probe
or
multimeter).
Demonstrate
the
voltage
from
an
AAA
battery.
Ask
students
what
they
think
the
voltage
of
an
AA
battery
will
be
and
why.
Then
show
them
the
voltage
of
an
AA,
C,
and
D
battery.
All
should
be
close
to
1.5
Volts.
Now,
switch
to
the
small
coin-cell
battery.
Ask
students
what
voltage
they
think
this
battery
will
produce.
Then,
measure
the
voltage
(which
should
be
close
to
3.0
Volts!)
Ask
students
to
explain
what
they
have
observed.
Allow
time
for
students
to
record
their
observations
and
write
explanations.
Finally,
show
them
the
inner
compartment
to
a
small
battery
powered
toy.
Illustrate
how
the
batteries
are
connected
in
series.
Show
students
the
voltage
produced
by
the
battery
compartment
within
the
toy.
Allow
time
for
questions
and
feedback
from
students.
Answers
to
Pre-lab
Questions
1. Watch your instructor test the voltage from a set of alkaline batteries ranging from a tiny watch battery to a large D battery. What do you notice? What does this tell you about batteries? All batteries have a voltage of 1.5 V. Size of battery does not equate to voltage. 2. Watch now as your instructor takes a lithium ion battery or nickel-cadmium battery and tests its voltage. What do you observe? Why do you think the results are what they are? Li-ion battery has twice the voltage of the alkaline battery. Different redox processes result in different electrochemical potentials (voltages). 3. Take a careful look at the battery compartment from a toy (or in figure 6.2). What do you notice about how the metal pieces (springs, pads) are arranged? Why are the set up this way? Would this toy run on one single battery? Metal connectors put batteries in a +/-/+/- configuration. The voltage in this situation is additive. The toy would not run on a single battery; it would not produce sufficient voltage. 4. Finally, your instructor will show you voltage results for batteries in the storage component. This is called putting batteries in series. In your own words, define the term series. The voltage for a series of batteries is additive.
Fig 6.2
Lab
Activity
For
part
A,
walk
students
through
the
assembly
and
components
involved
in
the
fabrication
of
a
traditional
electrochemical
cell,
using
copper,
zinc
and
1.0
M
solutions
of
Cu(NO3)2
and
Zn(NO3)2.
Feel
free
to
use
a
porous
cup
or
a
u-tube
(youll
need
1.0
M
KNO3
if
using
a
u-tube)
to
serve
as
the
salt
bridge.
The
important
piece
with
part
A
is
to
establish
familiarity
with
the
terms:
anode,
cathode,
salt
bridge,
electrolyte,
e-
flow.
Allow
students
ample
time
to
diagram
and
take
notes
on
this
setup.
This
is
a
great
time
to
show
how
to
measure
the
potential
(voltage)
of
the
cell
as
well.
For
part
B,
dismiss
students
into
groups
of
two
to
work
on
assembling
aluminum-oxygen
cells
using
the
materials
available
at
their
lab
stations.
Be
prepared
for
students
to
ask
for
your
help
in
troubleshooting.
Common
issues
include
shorting
of
batteries
through
aluminum
foil
contact
with
the
carbon
and
improper
wiring
of
circuit
and
LED
within
circuit
(the
Figure
1:
Student
Lab
Materials
LONG
leg
of
the
LED
should
be
connected
to
the
cathode
(carbon)).
Once
students
finish
making
and
measuring
their
cells,
they
can
join
with
another
group
to
attempt
to
power
additional
LEDs
or
toys
that
you
provide.
Figure
2
shows
an
image
of
what
a
correctly
constructed
battery
looks
like.
Used
dough
can
be
recycled
if
you
use
carbon
rods.
Dough
should
be
returned
to
an
airtight
container.
Figure
2:
An
assembled
battery
Post-Lab
Once
students
have
finished
and
cleaned
up,
dismiss
them
to
work
on
the
analyzing
questions.
Access
to
a
digital
text
reader
or
computer
will
be
helpful
at
this
point
so
that
students
can
begin
to
read
the
CK-12
Flexbook
on
Electrochemical
Cells,
which
should
prove
very
helpful
in
their
processing
of
the
lab
activity
they
have
just
finished.
Analyzing
Answers
1. All hair dryers, shavers, and other electrical appliances that are often used in the bathroom, come with labels mandated by the government, saying not to operate the appliance while taking a bath. a) From what you know about solutions and conductivity, why would it be dangerous to use an appliance while bathing? Typical water contains dissolved ionic solutes and conducts electricity, posing a shock hazard. b) Distilled water does not conduct electricity. If you were to take a bath in distilled water, would you be safe to use an electrical appliance while bathing? Explain. Distilled water contains no ions and therefore would be a very weak electrical conductor. While your risk of shock is minimized, electrons will conduct if the current is high enough. 2. Edit the picture of the battery you built in experimenting. a) Show how you would connect the LED to this circuit by drawing the LED and wires to connect to the electrodes. LEDs have different length wires on them (you may not have noticed). The long electrode is the cathode. Make sure to distinguish the two parts of the LED. Drawing should show carbon labeled as cathode and connected to the long LED wire; Al is the anode and should be connected to the short LED wire. b) Label each of these parts: aluminum half-cell, oxygen half-cell, aluminum metal electrode, activated charcoal electrode, electrolyte, LED. Self-explanitory c) Reread the CK-12 Flexbook section entitled Electrochemical Cells. Draw arrows on your drawing to indicate
the path that negatively charged particles flow in the battery. Electrons flow from anode to cathode, or in this case from aluminum to carbon through the wire. Note: electrons do NOT move through the dough, only ions. 3. You are probably familiar with using regular AA, C or D-cell batteries (not the rechargeable kind). Batteries eventually die and produce no more voltage. Why? A battery dies when the oxidation-reduction process has ended, as when there is no more material to be oxidized. The Al-oxygen battery will cease working once one of the following criteria occurs: a. All of the aluminum is oxidized. b. Oxygen is depleted from the air. c. Insufficient ions are present in the dough to maintain a charge balance. 4. Using the given standard reduction potentials below, determine the standard cell potential of an aluminum-oxygen cell. Al(OH)3 + 3e Al + 3OH O2 + 2H2O + 4e 4OH
The cell potential should be 1.26 V. The positive cell potential indicates a spontaneous reaction. 5. Predict a metal half-cell that you could replace the aluminum half-cell within your battery and produce more voltage. Explain the reasoning behind your prediction. Aluminum could be replaced with any more active metal from the activity series. 6. Explain why, when constructing your aluminum-oxygen batteries, you should not allow the aluminum foil to directly contact the carbon rod. When the aluminum foil contacts the carbon rod, a short circuit is created. Electrons will follow the path of least resistance; in this case it is easier for the e- to travel from the foil to the rod than it is to travel from the foil, through the wire and attached LED and then reach the carbon rod.
Follow-up Discussion At the next class session, go over the analyzing questions, and assign the critical thinking questions. It is helpful to have student groups present and defend their answers to the analyzing questions; Ive found that whiteboarding these prompts is very helpful. Safety Considerations: The conductive dough is safe to handle with bare hands. Unlike many other labs using LEDs, no resistor is needed (the dough conducts with sufficient resistance to prevent LED burnout). If you use powdered carbon sources, please consult the accompanying MSDS information for proper lab safety. Activity Setup: At each lab station, set out materials. Make sure that the conductive dough is stored within a Ziploc bag or other airtight storage container. Providing pre-cut foil sheets speeds assembly of batteries allowing more time for active investigation. Students should work initially in groups of two for the first portions of the lab activity. Once they have created their batteries, they can then form larger groups of four in order to have more batteries to try to operate additional motors, LEDs, etc. Notes for the Instructor: If you are using activated charcoal or any powdered form of carbon, be prepared for a very messy activity. The dough will not be reusable if powdered carbon sources are used. References/Resources: Lab Handout: http://www.scribd.com/doc/101457911/Battery-Lab
CK-12 Flexbook on Electrochemical Cells: http://www.scribd.com/doc/101653425 Directions on how to make conductive dough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEWpjk9ad4U Directions on how to make a burrito battery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES4SZjM8cOk For additional information and ideas regarding the use of conductive dough, please check out the Squishy Circuits website at the University of St. Thomas: http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits/