Final answer:
The Standard Oxidation Potential (SOP) of water is different from its Standard Reduction Potential (SRP) because the SOP includes energies related to the bond transformations during water oxidation. The SOP also takes into account environmental factors such as pH and catalysis that affect electrode potentials.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discrepancy in the values of the Standard Oxidation Potential (SOP) and Standard Reduction Potential (SRP) for water arises due to different conditions under which these values are measured. The SRP typically refers to the potential for a reduction reaction to occur, whereas the SOP pertains to the potential for an oxidation reaction. These potentials are indeed equal in magnitude and opposite in sign under standard conditions for any given half-reaction. However, water does not undergo a simple half-reaction involving just hydrogen and oxygen atoms transitioning between their typical states.
The SRP value of -0.83 V for water is associated with the reduction of oxygen to water. The SOP value of water, which is +1.23 V, refers to the oxidation of water to oxygen gas. This oxidation reaction involves not only the transfer of electrons but also the breaking and forming of O-H bonds. The observed SOP value includes the energies associated with these bond transformations as well as the intrinsic difficulty of removing electrons from water.