The standard electrode potential is a measure of the tendency of a chemical species to gain or lose electrons under standard conditions.
Key points:
- It indicates how easily a substance can be reduced (gain electrons).
- Measured under standard conditions: 1 M concentration, 1 atm pressure, and 25°C temperature.
- The potential is usually compared to the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), which is assigned a potential of zero volts.
- A positive value means the substance is more likely to be reduced than hydrogen.
- A negative value means it is less likely to be reduced.
In simple terms, the standard electrode potential tells us how strongly a substance wants to accept electrons and is essential for predicting the direction of electron flow in electrochemical cells.
It is used to calculate the cell potential and to determine which species will act as the anode or cathode.