Galvanic cells with Cobra SMARTsense

Principle

In this experiment, the voltage is measured on a voltaic cell (zinc/copper in sulfuric acid). Zinc oxidizes and releases electrons, which flow to the copper, where protons are reduced to hydrogen; the sulfuric acid enables the flow of ions and the equalization of charges.

Tasks

1. Build a voltaic cell.
2. Measure the voltage at the cell.
3. Create a short circuit between the electrodes and observe the hydrogen evolution.

Learning objective

Students learn how electric current can be generated using a galvanic cell, thus gaining an introduction to electrochemistry.

Benefits

• No additional cable connections between the components are necessary – clearer and faster setup
• Future-oriented teaching: Integration of sensors (Cobra SMARTsense) into digital science lessons