Question

I'm studying electrochemistry without a physics background--never taken it for extenuating reasons--for a research project using Bard'sElectrochemical Methods. I'm having trouble understanding the concept of open-circuit potential (OCP): the electric potential measured in a cell when disconnected from a circuit. First off, why can you measure OCP at all?

Answer 1

The open-circuit potential (OCP) is the electric potential measured in a cell when it is disconnected from a circuit. It can be measured because it represents the difference in electrical potential between the two half-reactions in the cell.

Step-by-step explanation:

The open-circuit potential (OCP) is the electric potential measured in a cell when it is disconnected from a circuit. It can be measured because it represents the difference in electrical potential between the two half-reactions in the cell.

When a voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference between the two compartments of a cell, the switch connecting the wires to the anode and cathode is opened. This prevents a current from flowing, so no chemical reaction occurs. In this state, the voltmeter indicates the OCP of the cell.

The OCP or Ecell of the cell is related to the energy needed to move a charged particle in an electric field. It is measured in volts and can be influenced by the concentrations of the reacting species and the temperature of the system.