Electrode potential Electrode potential Electrode potential, "E", in chemistry or electrochemistry, according to a IUPAC definition, is the electromotive force of a cell built of two electrodes: The SHE is defined to have a potential of 0 V, so the signed cell potential from the above setup is SHE is cathode and electrode is anode Electrode potential appears at the interface between an electrode and electrolyte due to the transfer of charged species across the interface, specific adsorption of ions at the interface, and specific adsorption/orientation of polar molecules, including those of the solvent. Electrode potential is the electric potential on an
Absolute electrode potential defined analogously. In this approach, all three species taking part in the reaction, including the electron, must be placed in thermodynamically well-defined states. All species, including the electron, are at the same temperature, and appropriate standard states for all species, including the electron, must be fully defined. The absolute electrode potential is then defined as the Gibbs free energy for the absolute electrode process. To express this in volts one divides the Gibb’s free energy by the negative of Faraday’s constant. Rockwood's approach to absolute-electrode thermodynamics is easily expendable to other thermodynamic functions. For example, the absolute half-cell entropy has