(2022-23)

TOPIC:- Study Various Factors on which the

internal resistance/emf of a cell depends

SUBMITTED TO:- SUBMITTED BY :-

AKSHAYA MISHRA SIR KAVYA CHATURVEDI
CLASS:- 12th B
ROLL NO.:-
I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere thanks to Mr. AKSHAYA MISHRA
of SUBHASH PUBLIC SR. SEC. SCHOOL for his encouragement and all his facilities
That he provides for this project work. I sincerely appreciate this magnanimity by
taking me into his fold for which I shall remain indebted to him.

I extend my thanks for guiding me to do this project and successful completion of

this project. I take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude for his
invaluable guidance, constant encouragement, constructive comment,
sympathetic attitude and immense motivation which has sustained my effort at all
stages of this project work.

KAVYA CHATURVEDI
Class:- 12th B
This is to clarify that KAVYA CHATURVEDI 12th science of SUBHASH PUBLIC SR.
SEC. SCHOOL has completed this demonstration under the supervision filled by Mr.
AKSHAYA MISHRA.

He has taken proper care and so almost sincere in the completion of this file. I
certified this file to extinction as per the guideline issued by CBSE in the year 2022-
23 under my guideline and supervision.

Mr. AKSHAYA MISHRA

PHYSICS TEACHER
 Index

1. Acknowledgement
2. Certificate
3. Introduction
• Electrochemical Cells
• Daniel Cells
• Electromotive Force
4. Objective
5. Apparatus
6. Circuit Diagram
7. Theory
8. Procedure
9. Observations
10. Conclusions
11. Precautions
12. Sources of error
13. Bibliography
 Introduction

ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS

➢ An electrochemical cell is a device by which electric energy is

generated at the cost of
chemical energy due to chemical action taking place in the cell. They
are of two types:

1. Primary Cells
2. Secondary Cells

➢ PRIMARY CELL: It is the cell in which electrical energy is produced due

to chemical energy. The chemical reaction in the cell is irreversible.

E.g., Daniel cell, Leclanche cell.

➢ SECONDARY CELL: It is that cell in which the electrical energy is first

stored up as chemical energy and when the outside circuit is closed to
draw the current from the cell the stored chemical energy is
reconverted into electrical energy. The chemical reactions in this case
are reversible.

E.g. lead acid accumulator, Edison cell.

DANIEL CELL

➢ The Daniel cell was invented by a British chemist, John Frederic Daniel.
In the Daniel cell, copper and zinc electrodes are immersed in a
solution of copper (II) sulphate (CuSO4 (aq)) and zinc (II) sulphate
(ZnSO4 (aq)) respectively. The two half cells are connected through a
salt bridge. Here zinc acts as anode and copper acts as cathode.

➢ At the anode, zinc undergoes oxidation to form zinc ions and electrons.
The zinc ions pass into the solution. If the two electrodes are
connected using an external wire, the electrons produced by the
oxidation of zinc travel through the wire and enter into the copper
 cathode, where they reduce the copper ions present in the solution
and form copper atoms that are deposited on the cathode.

➢ The anodic reaction is represented as:

Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) + 2e-

➢ The cathodic reaction is represented as:

Cu2+(aq) + 2e- Cu(s)

➢ The difference of excess electrons on the anode and deficit of electrons

on the cathode creates an electrical potential between the two
electrodes.

➢ The ions pass through the salt bridge to maintain charge balance until
such a time as the anode and cathode reach electrical equilibrium of
zero volts as chemical equilibrium is reached in the cell.

➢ The so-called "salt bridge" is not made of salt but could be made of
material able to wick the cations and anions (salts) in the solutions,
where the flow of positively charged cations along the "bridge"
amounts to the same number of negative charges flowing in the
opposite direction.

ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
➢ Electromotive force, also called emf (denoted and measured in volt),
is the voltage developed by any source of electrical energy such as a
battery or dynamo. It generally defined as the electrical potential for a
source in a circuit.
 OBJECTIVE
➢ To study the various factors on which the internal resistance/emf of a cell
depends.

APPARATUS
➢ A Potentiometer , a battery (battery eliminator) , two way keys , a rheostat of
low resistance , a galvanometer , a high resistance , an ammeter , a cell , a
Jockey , a set square , connecting wires , water bath , thermometer(0-100°C)
, burner , tripod stand , wire gauge .
 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Figure: Circuit diagram for internal resistance of a cell

THEORY

➢ The internal resistance of a cell is the resistance ofered by its electrolyte to

the low of ions. The internal resistance of a cell

i. Is directly proportional to the distance between the electrodes.

ii. Is inversely proportional to facing surface area of the electrodes in
electrolyte.
iii. Decrease with increase in temperature of electrolyte.
iv. Is inversely proportional to concentration of electrolyte.
The internal resistance of a cell is given by

r = ( l1-l2) x R
l2

Where l1 and l2 are the balancing lengths without resistance and with resistance
(shunt) , respectively and R is the shunt resistance in parallel with the given cell.

PROCEDURE

Step 1

1. Draw the circuit diagram showing the scheme of connections.

2. Clean the ends of the connecting wires with sand paper and make tight
connections according to the circuit diagrams.
3. Tight the plugs of the resistance box.
4. Check the e.m.f. of the battery and cell and see that e.m.f. and see that e.m.f. of
the battery is more than that of given cell ,otherwise null or balance point will not
be obtained (E' >E).
5. Take maximum current from the battery , making rheostat resistance small.
6. To test the corrections of the connections.(insert the plug in the key
K1 and note the ammeter reading .Take out 2000 ohm resistance plug from
resistance box. Place the jokey irst at the end P of the wire and then at the end Q. If
the galvanometer shows delection in opposite direction in the two cases the
connections are correct).
7. Without inserting the plug in the key K2 adjust the rheostat so that a null point
isobtained on the 4th wire of potentiometer.
8. Insert the 2000 ohm plug back in the position in resistance box and by slightly
adjusting the jockey near the previous obtained position of null point, obtain null
point position accurately, using a set square.
9. Measure the balancing length L1 between the point and the end P of the wire.
10. Take out the 2000 ohm plug again from the resistance box R.B. introduce plugs
in the key K1 ,as well as in key K2. Take out small resistance (1-5 Ω) from the
resistance box R connected in parallel with the cell.
11. Slide the jockey along the potentiometer wire and obtain null point.
12. Insert 2000 ohms plug back in its position in R.B. and if necessary make further
adjustment for sharp null point.
13. Measure the balancing length l2 from end P.
14. Remove the plug keys at K1 and K2 Wait for some time and for the samevalue
of current (as shown by ammeter) repeat the steps 7 to 13.
15. Repeat the observations for diferent values of R repeating each observation
twice.
16. Calculate the internal resistance of cell by using the above relation for r.

Step 2
To see the efect of distance between the electrodes on internal resistances
keeping the other factors constant ,vary separation between electrodes and measure
internal resistance in each case.

Step 3
To see the efect of the temperature of electrolyte on internal resistance by
keeping other factors constant. Keep primary cells in water bath to heat the
electrolyte. Determine the internal resistance at various temperatures.

Step 4
To see the efect of concentration (nature) of electrolyte on internal resistance by :-
Keeping the other factors constant , decrease concentration of electrolyte by
adding the distilled water and determine internal resistance of cell in each case

OBSERVATIONS
(A)Internal resistance of cell

1. Table for internal resistance:-

S.No. Ammeter Reading Pos. of null point (cm) Shunt r =(l1-l2) x R

(A) With R Without R Resistance l1
(l1) (l2) (R)
1. 0.3 660.5 35.5 1 0.94
2. 0.3 660.5 77.2 2 1.77
3. 0.3 660.5 108.3 3 2.51
(B) To study the efect of separation between the electrodes

2. Table for efect of separation between electrodes:-

S.No. Separation Balancing Balancing r =(l1-l2) x R r/d

Between length (cm) length (cm) l1
Electrodes (cm) (l1) (l2)
1. 1.2 326.6 276.9 0.456 0.38
2. 2.5 320.7 219.1 0.95 0.38
3. 3.7 660.5 350.9 1.406 0.38

(c) Efect of temperature of electrolyte on the internal resistance

3. Table for efect of temperature:-

S.No. Temperature l1 l2 Resistance r =(l1-l2)xR Tr

(T) in (cm) (cm) (R) l1
celcius
1. 40 325 12 1 0.96 301.44
2. 32 552 23.6 1 0.95 291.96
3. 27 660.5 35.5 1 0.94 283.87

CONCLUSIONS
1. The Electromotive Force of the cell is constant and is equal to E = 0.98 Volt.
2. The internal resistance of a cell is directly proportional to the separation between
the electrodes.
3. The internal resistance of a cell is inversely proportional to the area of the
electrodes dipped in electrolyte.
4. The internal resistance of a cell is inversely proportional to the temperature of
electrolytes.
5. The internal resistance of a cell is inversely proportional to the concentration of
the electrolyte.
 PRECAUTIONS
1. The connections should be neat , clean and tight.
2. The plugs should be introduced in the keys only when the observations are to be
taken.
3. The positive polls of the battery E and cells E1 and E2 should , all be connected
to the terminal at the zero of the wires.
4. The jockey key should not be rubbed along the wire. It should touch the wire
gently.
5. The ammeter reading should remain constant for a particular set of observation.
If necessary , adjust the rheostat for this purpose.
6. The e.m.f. of the battery should be greater than the e.m.f.'s of the either of the
two cells.
7. Some high resistance plug should always be taken out from resistance box
before the jockey is moved along the wire.
8. The e.m.f. of the battery should be greater than that of the cell.
9. For one set of observation the ammeter reading should remain constant.
10. Current should be passed for short time only , while inding the null point.
11. Rheostat should be adjusted so that initial null point lies on last wire of the
potentiometer.
12. Cell should not be disturbed during experiment.
13. Jockey should not be rubbed against the potentiometer wire.

SOURCES OF ERROR

1. The auxiliary battery may not be fully charged.

2. The potentiometer wire may not be of uniform cross-section and material
density throughout its length.
3. End resistances may not be zero.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

➢ PHYSICS NCERT CLASS XII

➢ COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICS PRACTICAL CLASS XII
➢ WIKIPEDIA.ORG