Chemistry / Unit 11 Chem 2165 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Cell Potential Defined
Captions available
The idea
Cell potential, Ecell, is the potential difference measured between a galvanic cell's two half-cells, since an individual half-cell's potential can only ever be assessed relative to another.
In practice
A voltmeter connected across a cell's two electrodes reads that cell's potential directly, in volts.
Where people slip
A single electrode has no potential in isolation — every measured value is already a difference between two half-cells.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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