Standard electrode potential

Definition

The standard electrode potential (E°) is a measure of the tendency of an electrode to gain or lose electrons. It is the voltage difference between a half-cell and the standard hydrogen electrode under standard conditions.

Related terms

Half-cell: A half-cell is one part of an electrochemical cell where either oxidation or reduction takes place. It consists of an electrode in contact with its corresponding electrolyte solution.

Reduction potential: The reduction potential is another term for the standard electrode potential. It represents the tendency of an electrode to gain electrons during a redox reaction.

Standard hydrogen electrode: The standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) is used as a reference point for measuring standard electrode potentials. It consists of a platinum electrode immersed in 1 M HCl solution saturated with H2 gas at 1 atm pressure.