MadSci Network: Physics |
Francesca, I've answered your questions in order: Q1 The highest voltage will come from a combination of a very reactive metal with a very unreactive metal but why? A1 Metals react by losing electrons: the more reactive a metal, the more easily it will lose electrons. This is usually measured by the reduction potential – you can think of this as the voltage required to force electrons to react with the positive metal ion. Here are the reduction ppotentials for the metals you have. I took the values from Huheey’s 1983 text. Mg+2 --> Mg -2.363 V Al+3 --> Al -1.662 V Zn+2 --> Zn -0.7628 V Pb+2 --> Pb -0.126 V Cu+2 --> Cu +0.337 V You can see that Mg is the most reactive metal at your disposal. A cell made with Mg and Cu should give 2.7 V (subtract the reduction ppotential of the more reactive elements from that of the less reactive element). This is under standard conditions i.e. 25 C, 1 mol dm-3 solutions, etc. Q2 Also, if voltage = current*resistance, then shouldn't it be that the more layers in the pile, the higher the voltage? A2The voltage increases with each layer you add, but this is not because voltage = current * resistance. Each layer is a cell, producing a small potential difference. Stacking the layers connects the cells in series to make a battery. The total potential difference will be the potential of each cell times the number of cells in the battery. Q3 Lastly, do the concentration of the saltwater and the thickness of the filter-paper between the metals affect the voltage? If so, how? A3 The saltwater-soaked filter paper/cardboard/felt allows ions to pass from one plate of the cell to the other – the ‘salt bridge’ of classic electrochemical cells. Without it, or without the salt – no voltage. This is a vital part of the circuit – not only does charge flow, as electrons, in the external circuit (lighting a bulb, powering a calculator, whatever) but charge also must flow within the cell. This charge flows as ions, positive ions such as sodium will flow in the opposite direction to the negatively-charged electrons in the outer circuit; negatively-charged ions, such as chloride, will flow in the same direction as electrons. Hydrogen ions are highly conductive, so an acid should be better than sodium chloride. The thickness of the filter paper should be minimised, so that its conductivity is increased. However, direct contact between the metal plates will allow electrons to pass from one to the other, short- circuiting the cells. The filter paper must be robust enough to stop this happening. http://www.hepi.com/basics/how.htm http://www.alansmodels.com/engines/how_batteries.htm Ewen McLaughlin
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