If a salt bridge is removed between the half cells, the voltagea)Decre...
The correct answer is Option A.
The purpose of a salt bridge is not to move electrons from the electrolyte, rather maintain charge balance because the electrons are moving from one-half cell to the other. The electrons flow from the anode to the cathode thus if a salt bridge is removed between the half cells, the voltage becomes zero.
If a salt bridge is removed between the half cells, the voltagea)Decre...
Explanation:
A salt bridge is an important component in an electrochemical cell, which is used to maintain electrical neutrality and prevent the accumulation of charge in the half cells. The salt bridge allows the migration of ions between the half cells, which compensates for the charge buildup, and maintains the flow of electrons and ions between the electrodes. However, if the salt bridge is removed between the half cells, the following changes occur:
Disruption of Charge Balance
The removal of the salt bridge disrupts the charge balance between the half cells, which leads to the accumulation of charge and the formation of a potential difference across the electrodes.
Electron Flow
Due to the potential difference, the electrons flow from the anode to the cathode, but the migration of ions is hindered by the absence of the salt bridge. As a result, the anode becomes positively charged, and the cathode becomes negatively charged.
Decrease in Voltage
The accumulation of charge and the hindrance of ion migration decrease the voltage of the electrochemical cell until it reaches zero. This occurs because the potential difference between the electrodes decreases as the charge builds up, and the electrons cannot flow freely due to the lack of ion migration.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A' which states that if a salt bridge is removed between the half cells, the voltage decreases to zero.