The main scientific concept in this experiment was found by James Faraday. His law states that the quantity of plating that will occur through electroplating is the product of current by time by a constant. The constant is based upon the metal used as the anode, or the metal that will do the plating.
It was originally planned to use current and time for this experiment as the factors. (The constant had no effect because zinc was always the anode). However, we found that the current was extremely hard to manipulate on our power source. According to Ohm's law, an increase in potential difference, measured in volts, will increase current. Thus, potential difference was appropriately used, since it was easier to directly manipulate. Additionally, time was used.
Current is the flow of electrons. As plating occurs, electrons from the anode flow through the power source onto the cathode. The leftover positive ions flow towards the newly negatively charged cathode. The anode's negative and ions are reunited around the cathode, creating a new layer of metal. If current is increased (or potential difference) it allows the ions to travel faster. Time allows for the process to occur for a variant duration. An increase in both of these increases the amount of plating that occurs, which is why these values are in Faraday's Law. As a result, potential difference and time were the factors used in this experiment.
It was originally planned to use current and time for this experiment as the factors. (The constant had no effect because zinc was always the anode). However, we found that the current was extremely hard to manipulate on our power source. According to Ohm's law, an increase in potential difference, measured in volts, will increase current. Thus, potential difference was appropriately used, since it was easier to directly manipulate. Additionally, time was used.
Current is the flow of electrons. As plating occurs, electrons from the anode flow through the power source onto the cathode. The leftover positive ions flow towards the newly negatively charged cathode. The anode's negative and ions are reunited around the cathode, creating a new layer of metal. If current is increased (or potential difference) it allows the ions to travel faster. Time allows for the process to occur for a variant duration. An increase in both of these increases the amount of plating that occurs, which is why these values are in Faraday's Law. As a result, potential difference and time were the factors used in this experiment.