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Year 11 - Science

Electric cells and batteries

Electrolysis

Unit Summary

This unit focuses on electrolysis, electrode reactions, and predicting products, including competing reactions in solutions. It explains metal extraction through electrolysis and writing ionic equations. It also covers tests for gases like oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and chlorine.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe how an electric cell works and how electric cells are combined to produce batteries of different voltages.

Key Notes

  • Electric cells contain a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts.
  • An electric cell made of two different metals in contact with an electrolyte, produces a voltage across the metals.
  • The size of voltage across an electric cell depends on the materials it is made from.
  • A battery is made of one or more electric cells, which can be connected in series to produce a larger voltage.
  • The chemical reaction in a rechargeable battery is reversed when an external voltage is connected across it.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • electric cell: A device that contains a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts.
  • voltage: This is a measure of the difference in energy between two parts of a circuit. It is measured in volts.
  • electrolyte: A liquid or aqueous salt solution that contains freely moving ions.
  • electric battery: An electric cell, or several cells joined together in series, that can push current around a complete circuit to transfer energy to each component.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Understanding which way the electrons flow in the electric cell and explaining why the voltage is sometimes recorded as negative.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

Electric cells contain a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts. An electric cell made of two different metals in contact with an electrolyte, produces a voltage across the metals.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'electric cell'

A device that contains a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: Understanding which way the electrons flow in the electric cell and explaining why the voltage is sometimes recorded as negative. Correction: The more reactive metal is always oxidised, i.e. looses electrons which flow towards the less reactive metal. Demonstrate that a negative voltage is seen when the electrical leads connected to the voltmeter are swapped around.

More Lessons In This Unit

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