Electrode reaction cannot be reversed, and the identities of the anode and cathode are therefore fixed. The anode is always the negative electrode. The cell can be discharged but not recharged. A secondary cell, for example a rechargeable battery, is a cell in which the chemical reactions are reversible. When the cell is being charged, the anode becomes the positive (+) and the cathode the negative (−) electrode. This is also the case in an electrolytic cell. When the cell is being discharged, it behaves like a primary cell, with the anode as the negative and the cathode as the positive
Absolute electrode potential The absolute potential of the SHE is 4.44 ± 0.02 V at 25 °C. Therefore, for any electrode at 25 °C: where: A different definition for the absolute electrode potential (also known as absolute half-cell potential and single electrode potential) has also been discussed in the literature. In this approach, one first defines an isothermal absolute single-electrode process (or absolute half-cell process.) For example, in the case of a generic metal being oxidized to form a solution-phase ion, the process would be For the hydrogen electrode, the absolute half-cell process would be Other types of absolute electrode reactions would be