- active electrode
- electrode that participates as a reactant or product in the oxidation-reduction reaction of an electrochemical cell; the mass of an active electrode changes during the oxidation-reduction reaction
- alkaline battery
- primary battery similar to a dry cell that uses an alkaline (often potassium hydroxide) electrolyte; designed to be an improved replacement for the dry cell, but with more energy storage and less electrolyte leakage than typical dry cell
- anode
- electrode in an electrochemical cell at which oxidation occurs
- battery
- single or series of galvanic cells designed for use as a source of electrical power
- cathode
- electrode in an electrochemical cell at which reduction occurs
- cathodic protection
- approach to preventing corrosion of a metal object by connecting it to a sacrificial anode composed of a more readily oxidized metal
- cell notation (schematic)
- symbolic representation of the components and reactions in an electrochemical cell
- cell potential (Ecell)
- difference in potential of the cathode and anode half-cells
- concentration cell
- galvanic cell comprising half-cells of identical composition but for the concentration of one redox reactant or product
- corrosion
- degradation of metal via a natural electrochemical process
- dry cell
- primary battery, also called a zinc-carbon battery, based on the spontaneous oxidation of zinc by manganese(IV)
- electrode potential (EX)
- the potential of a cell in which the half-cell of interest acts as a cathode when connected to the standard hydrogen electrode
- electrolysis
- process using electrical energy to cause a nonspontaneous process to occur
- electrolytic cell
- electrochemical cell in which an external source of electrical power is used to drive an otherwise nonspontaneous process
- Faraday’s constant (F)
- charge on 1 mol of electrons; F = 96,485 C/mol e−
- fuel cell
- devices similar to galvanic cells that require a continuous feed of redox reactants; also called a flow battery
- galvanic (voltaic) cell
- electrochemical cell in which a spontaneous redox reaction takes place; also called a voltaic cell
- galvanization
- method of protecting iron or similar metals from corrosion by coating with a thin layer of more easily oxidized zinc.
- half cell
- component of a cell that contains the redox conjugate pair (“couple”) of a single reactant
- inert electrode
- electrode that conducts electrons to and from the reactants in a half-cell but that is not itself oxidized or reduced
- lead acid battery
- rechargeable battery commonly used in automobiles; it typically comprises six galvanic cells based on Pb half-reactions in acidic solution
- lithium ion battery
- widely used rechargeable battery commonly used in portable electronic devices, based on lithium ion transfer between the anode and cathode
- Nernst equation
- relating the potential of a redox system to its composition
- nickel-cadmium battery
- rechargeable battery based on Ni/Cd half-cells with applications similar to those of lithium ion batteries
- primary cell
- nonrechargeable battery, suitable for single use only
- sacrificial anode
- electrode constructed from an easily oxidized metal, often magnesium or zinc, used to prevent corrosion of metal objects via cathodic protection
- salt bridge
- tube filled with inert electrolyte solution
- secondary cell
- battery designed to allow recharging
- standard cell potential
- the cell potential when all reactants and products are in their standard states (1 bar or 1 atm or gases; 1 M for solutes), usually at 298.15 K
- standard electrode potential ()
- electrode potential measured under standard conditions (1 bar or 1 atm for gases; 1 M for solutes) usually at 298.15 K
- standard hydrogen electrode (SHE)
- half-cell based on hydrogen ion production, assigned a potential of exactly 0 V under standard state conditions, used as the universal reference for measuring electrode potential