Here's a precise problem for the student to solve:A galvanic cell is constructed with a zinc electrode and a copper electrode in two separate solutions, connected by a salt bridge. The zinc electrode has a surface area of 4 cm² and the copper electrode has a surface area of 8 cm². The concentration of zinc ion solution is 0.1 M and the copper ion solution is 0.01 M. The temperature of the solutions is 25°C. Calculate the resistance of the electrochemical cell.

Question

Here's a precise problem for the student to solve:A galvanic cell is constructed with a zinc electrode and a copper electrode in two separate solutions, connected by a salt bridge. The zinc electrode has a surface area of 4 cm² and the copper electrode has a surface area of 8 cm². The concentration of zinc ion solution is 0.1 M and the copper ion solution is 0.01

Answer 1

To calculate the resistance of the electrochemical cell, we first need to determine the cell potential  E_cell  using the Nernst equation. The Nernst equation is given by:E_cell = E_cell -  RT/nF  * ln Q where:E_cell = standard cell potentialR = gas constant  8.314 J/molK T = temperature in Kelvin  25C = 298.15 K n = number of electrons transferred in the redox reaction  for this case, n = 2 F = Faraday's constant  96485 C/mol Q = reaction quotientFor a galvanic cell with a zinc electrode and a copper electrode, the half-reactions are:Zn s   Zn aq  + 2e  oxidation Cu aq  + 2e  Cu s   reduction The standard cell potential  E_cell  can be calculated using the standard reduction potentials:E Zn/Zn  = -0.76 VE Cu/Cu  = +0.34 VE_cell = E Cu/Cu  - E Zn/Zn  = 0.34 V -  -0.76 V  = 1.10 VNow, we need to calculate the reaction quotient  Q :Q = [Zn]/[Cu] =  0.1 M / 0.01 M  = 10Now, we can use the Nernst equation to calculate the cell potential  E_cell :E_cell = 1.10 V -  8.314 J/molK * 298.15 K / 2 * 96485 C/mol  * ln 10 E_cell  1.10 V - 0.0296 V = 1.0704 VNow, we can use Ohm's law to calculate the resistance  R  of the electrochemical cell:V = IRwhere:V = voltage  E_cell I = currentR = resistanceHowever, we cannot calculate the resistance directly from the given information, as we do not have the current  I  flowing through the cell. Additional information about the current or the conductivity of the solutions would be needed to calculate the resistance of the electrochemical cell.