Electrochemistry

1-5: Standard Cell Potential

ES 10: Chemistry for Engineers

David A. Agbayani

Note: These lecture slides are not meant to be published.

 Standard Cell Potential (E°cell)
• If a voltmeter is placed as the load in a
galvanic cell, a reading will be shown. This
reading is the voltage across the two half-
cells.

• This voltage is also known as the standard

cell potential, or the cell voltage, or
electromotive force (emf).
 Standard Cell Potential (E°cell)
• This also represents the difference in
electrical potential energy between the two
half-cells, which is a numerical indication of
the tendency for electrons to flow from one
electrode to another.

• The more positive the E°cell, the more likely

the redox reaction is going to happen.
• If the cell potential is the difference in
electrical potential energy, does that mean
each electrode has its own value for
potential energy?

• No.

• And Yes.
• No, the electrode in a half-cell does not have
its own value for potential energy.

• But when set-up as a reduction half-cell

against a certain standard oxidation half-
cell, a voltage is measured.

• This value is called the standard reduction

potential.
 Standard Electrode Potential
• Also known as the
standard reduction
potential

• measures the tendency

for a reduction process
to occur at an electrode

• reference half-cell:
standard hydrogen
electrode (SHE) This is the half-cell that
would serve as
t he
oxidation half-c
ell.
Standard Electrode Potential

If we set-up a galvanic cell with the

SHE as the oxidation half-cell, and
the Cu-Cu2+ as the reduction half-
cell as shown, a voltage of 0.340 V
will be measured.
 Standard Electrode Potential
However, if we set-up a galvanic
cell with the SHE as the oxidation
half-cell, and the Zn-Zn2+ as the
reduction half-cell as shown, a
voltage of -0.763 V will be
measured.

This means that electrons were

released from the Zinc half-cell –
which means that Zinc underwent
oxidation, not reduction.

This shows that some half-cells are

more likely to undergo oxidation
when paired with the SHE.
This is only a sneak
peek
of the reduction
potentials of certain
reactions.
 Standard Cell Potential (E°cell)
• Is there a way to calculate the standard cell
potential if the oxidation half-cell isn’t the
standard hydrogen electrode (SHE)?

• Yes!
 Standard Cell Potential (E°cell)
E°cell = E°cathode - E°anode
= E°right - E°left
• E°cathode: standard reduction potential of cathode
• E°anode: standard reduction potential of anode

• positive E°cell: will favor the formation of

products
• negative E°cell: will favor the formation of
reactants
 Standard Cell Potential (E°cell)

𝐸 𝑍 𝑛 =− 0.76 3  V¿
¿ 𝐸𝐶 𝑢 =0.34 0   V¿
¿

Zn(s)  Cu 2 ( aq )  Zn 2 ( aq )  Cu ( s )
𝑜
𝐸 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 =0.340 − (− 0.763) = 1.10 3   V
 Exercise
• The cell diagram for an electrochemical cell
is written as
Pt(s) | Fe2+(aq), Fe3+(aq) || Ag+(aq)| Ag(s)
• Write the equations for the half-reactions
that occur at the electrodes. Balance the
overall cell reaction.
• What is the cell potential (E°cell)?
o o
EFe3
/Fe2
 0.771V E Ag 
/ Ag
 0.800 V
Hint: The platinum (Pt) electrode only acts as a catalyst for the reaction,
but does not react with any of the chemical species.