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Grade 12Physical Chemistry

What is meant by Electrode Potential?

Profile image of Chilukuri Sai Kartik
14 Years agoGrade 12
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1 Answer

Profile image of prashant mourya
ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer14 Years ago

Electrode potential, E, in electrochemistry according to an IUPAC definition, is the electromotive force of a cell built of two electrodes:

  • on the left-hand side is the standard hydrogen electrode, and
  • on the right-hand side is the electrode the potential of which is being defined.

By convention:

ECell := ECathodeEAnode

From the above, for the cell with the standard hydrogen electrode (potential of 0 by convention), one obtains:

ECell = ERight − 0 = EElectrode

The left-right convention is consistent with the international agreement that redox potentials be given for reactions written in the form of reduction half-reactions.

Electrode potential is measured in volts (V).