Name:________________________________ Date:_________ Period:__________
Testing Voltage and Conductivity in Metals and Electrolytes
Materials: *transparent ruler *aluminum foil *glass beaker *5g NaCl *water *wooden stirring rod *lantern battery *3 wires with alligator clips *Styrofoam bowl x 2 *2 nails *balance Procedure: 1. Connect battery to the voltage meter using 2 wired alligator clips to determine the voltage of the battery.___________________ 2. Weigh out 5g of NaCl. 3. Take one bowl and fill it with 200ml of water and fill the other bowl with 200ml of water with 5g of NaCl dissolved in it. 4. Setup the volt meter, lantern battery alligator clips, nails and bowl of water in the following configuration:
The nails should be half way submerged in the bowl. Test the voltage with water and salt water.
5. Switch out the nails with aluminum foil and retest with water and then with salt water. 6. Remove the bowl and connect the ends of the alligator clips that were in it to one nail and test the voltage. 7. Repeat this step using a wooden stirring rod. Results: What was the starting voltage of your battery?______________ What was the voltage measured when using the nails submerged in the water? _________ And in the salt water?____________ What was the voltage measured when using the foil submerged in the water?__________ And in the salt water?____________ What was the voltage measured when the single nail was connected to the end of the alligator clips?_______________ And the wooden stirring rod?____________________ Conclusion: ( If you do not know the answer then take a guess.) 1. a.)Did you notice any difference in the starting voltage of you battery when you used the setup with the nails and the water? If so, then why?
b.)And with the salt water? Why?
2. a.)Did you notice any difference in the starting voltage of your battery when you used the foil in the water? Why?
b.)And with the salt water? Why?
3. What did you observe when you connected the nail to the end of the alligator clips? Why?
4. What did you observe when you connected the wooden stirring rod to the end of the alligator clips? Why?