simple battery

[akcapr]

Ive never really thought about it, but I was just wondering, how does a simple battery where zinc and copper are inserted into an electolyte work?

[budullewraagh]

basically you have a piece of copper submerged in a solution of a cupric (or you could use a cuprous) salt and a piece of zinc submerged in a solution of a zinc salt. these solutions are connected by a wire as well as a solution of an aqueous salt, the cation of which has greater activity than zinc and copper.

 

basically, the zinc metal is oxidized, and the electrons are transferred to the copper metal. immediately, the cupric (or cuprous) salt is reduced to copper metal, which is deposited on the plate. the anions from the cupric/cuprous salt migrate over the "salt bridge" to the zinc solution, where they balance the charge difference created by the oxidation of zinc.

[akcapr]

wat about like a lemon jiuce battery where just a copper and zinc electrode are put in a single beaker of juice?

[H2SO4]

thats a more complicated question

[akcapr]

yes

[drizzt]

wheres yt when ya need him lol

[H2SO4]

yes, he gives complicated answers to hard questions, which i find helpful.