Question

suppose that before you began your experiment the potassium nitrate for the salt bridge solution has run out. the only substance you could find is zinc nitrate solution . will using the zinc nitrate solution in the salt bridge compartment affect the cell potentials you measured? why or why not

Answer 1

Using zinc nitrate in the salt bridge could alter the cell potentials because zinc ions may participate in the electrode reactions, which may disrupt the electrochemical cell's function.

Step-by-step explanation:

Will using zinc nitrate solution in the salt bridge affect the cell potentials measured? The purpose of a salt bridge is to maintain electrical neutrality and complete the circuit, and it can be effective as long as its ions do not participate in the cell's reactions. Traditionally, salts such as potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, or sodium sulfate are used because their ions are inert in most electrochemical cells, such as a galvanic or voltaic cell.

Using zinc nitrate in the salt bridge, however, could potentially introduce zinc ions that could participate in the electrode reactions, disrupting the normal course of the reaction and affecting the measured cell potentials. Zinc ions could be reduced at the cathode, or they could interfere with the electrochemical reaction in other ways, such as forming precipitates or complexes. Therefore, it is crucial to use a salt in the salt bridge whose ions are not reactive under the conditions of the electrochemical cell to ensure accurate measurement of cell potentials.