Chemistry / Unit 11 Chem 2168 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode
Captions available
The idea
The standard hydrogen electrode is assigned a potential of exactly 0 V by convention, the universal reference for every other half-cell's standard potential.
In practice
A half-cell paired against it and measured at +0.34 V reports its potential relative to that zero point.
Where people slip
0 V is a chosen reference, not a claim the electrode does nothing — every tabulated potential is relative to it.
Your place on the trail
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Builds on
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