DISCUSSION:
In this investigation, the effect of electrolyte concentration, depth of electrode immersion in electrolyte, and distance between electrodes in electrolyte, on the current flow through copper electrodes were tested. Table 1 and Graph 1 display the results when increasing electrolyte concentration. Evident in Graph 1, the results contained scatter, and consisted of an outlier in the sample in which the ratio of NaCl: deionised water was 10:30mL. The outlier and scatter may have been due to random errors, which caused the results to be unreliable. Due to this, the raw data does not support the hypothesis. Thus, a line of best fit was drawn in order to reduce the effect of random errors, and statistically remove the outliers, to give a better representation of what the results should have been. This line of best fit suggests that the current flow through the copper electrodes increased as the electrolyte concentration increased, supporting the hypothesis, and corresponding to the research. This would have been because as the electrolyte concentration increased, the amount of Na+ ions and Cl- in the solution …show more content…
Thus, the data collected supports the hypothesis for parts A and B. However, the results for part C suggested that an decrease in the distance between electrodes, did not cause an increase in the current flow through the copper electrodes, refuting the hypothesis. Through analysis, it was concluded that this was likely due to a range of random and systematic errors. Further hypothesis could be made to investigate the effect of such factors on the current flow through the electrodes, rate of electrolysis, and the electrical resistance of the electrolyte, to determine whether these features are consistent and/or
In this investigation, the effect of electrolyte concentration, depth of electrode immersion in electrolyte, and distance between electrodes in electrolyte, on the current flow through copper electrodes were tested. Table 1 and Graph 1 display the results when increasing electrolyte concentration. Evident in Graph 1, the results contained scatter, and consisted of an outlier in the sample in which the ratio of NaCl: deionised water was 10:30mL. The outlier and scatter may have been due to random errors, which caused the results to be unreliable. Due to this, the raw data does not support the hypothesis. Thus, a line of best fit was drawn in order to reduce the effect of random errors, and statistically remove the outliers, to give a better representation of what the results should have been. This line of best fit suggests that the current flow through the copper electrodes increased as the electrolyte concentration increased, supporting the hypothesis, and corresponding to the research. This would have been because as the electrolyte concentration increased, the amount of Na+ ions and Cl- in the solution …show more content…
Thus, the data collected supports the hypothesis for parts A and B. However, the results for part C suggested that an decrease in the distance between electrodes, did not cause an increase in the current flow through the copper electrodes, refuting the hypothesis. Through analysis, it was concluded that this was likely due to a range of random and systematic errors. Further hypothesis could be made to investigate the effect of such factors on the current flow through the electrodes, rate of electrolysis, and the electrical resistance of the electrolyte, to determine whether these features are consistent and/or