Question

While performing an experiment with an electrolytic cell (both cathode and anode are zinc in 1 M ZnSO4 solution), with the cathode in a beaker and the anode in a porous cup inside the same beaker? What function does the porous cut perform if ions can still move through it? What is the porous cup separating? If the porous cup were removed (or if there was a hole in it), would the reaction stop? Why?

Answer 1

Porous cup:- It is porous seperator which seperate the cathode and ande. At the same time it allows to move or migrate the ion from one compartment to another compartment i.e. from anode to cathode or cathode to anode. One more thing porous means that ceratain thing which can pass through the walls of the porous cup. In this reaction cation is Zn²⁺ and anion is SO₄^2-. So according to the question SO₄^2- is migrater anion and it can migrtae through the porous cup.

If you remove the porous cup then this migration of SO₄^2- will not happen and there would be an accumulation of positive charges in the Zn half cell as a result of Zn ions being produced and added to the solution in the beaker. As we all know electricity happens only due to movement of charge or electrons through a conductor and after removing the porous cup migration of charge will stop due to the accumulation of charge on the electrode and in solution. After that it will gain charge neutrality. So, there is no any charge to move or migrate finally reaction as well as electricity will stop.