Standard cell potential solubility product constant

The foregoing example illustrates how equilibrium constants for overall cell reactions can be determined electrochemically. Although the example dealt with redox equilibrium, related procedures can be used to measure the solubility product constants of sparingly soluble ionic compounds or the ionization constants of weak acids and bases. Suppose that the solubility product constant of AgCl is to be determined by means of an electrochemical cell. One half-cell contains solid AgCl and Ag metal in equilibrium with a known concentration of CP (aq) (established with 0.00100 M NaCl, for example) so that an unknown but definite concentration of Kg aq) is present. A silver electrode is used so that the half-cell reaction involved is either the reduction of Ag (aq) or the oxidation of Ag. This is, in effect, an Ag" Ag half-cell whose potential is to be determined. The second half-cell can be any whose potential is accurately known, and its choice is a matter of convenience. In the following example, the second half-cell is a standard H30" H2 half-cell. 

It follows that we can determine the solubility product constants for slightly soluble materials by measuring the standard potential of the appropriate electrochemical cell. (Compare to Examples 17.6 and 17.7, Section 17.12.)... 

Over the last 20-30 years not too much effort has been made concerning the determination of standard potentials. It is mostly due to the funding policy all over the world, which directs the sources to new and fashionable research and practically neglects support for the quest for accurate fundamental data. A notable recent exception is the work described in Ref. 1, in which the standard potential of the cell Zn(Hg)jc (two phase) I ZnS O4 (aq) PbS O4 (s) Pb(Hg)jc (two phase) has been determined. Besides the measurements of electromotive force, determinations of the solubility, solubiKty products, osmotic coefficients, water activities, and mean activity coefficients have been carried out and compared with the previous data. The detailed analysis reveals that the uncertainties in some fundamental data such as the mean activity coefficient of ZnS04, the solubility product of Hg2S04, or even the dissociation constant of HS04 can cause uncertainties in the f " " values as high as 3-4 mV. The author recommends this comprehensive treatise to anybody who wants to go deeply into the correct determination of f " " values. 

One design of electrode is illustrated in Fig. 3.4. Pure mercury covers a platinum wire sealed through the bottom of a glass tube. The mercury is covered with powdered mercurous chloride, which is only slightly soluble in potassium chloride solution, the latter filling the cell. The activity of Hgi depends on the concentration of KCl since the solubility product (Hg2" )(Cl is a constant. Potentials on the standard hydrogen scale for various KCl concentrations are listed in Table 3.4. 

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