Final answer:
The salt bridge in a voltaic cell maintains electrical neutrality and ensures continuous electron flow by allowing ions to migrate and neutralize charge buildup.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of a salt bridge in a voltaic cell is to provide ions that counter-balance the build-up of charge so that current can continue to flow.
he salt bridge contains a solution of some ionic compound whose ions migrate to either side of the voltaic cell to maintain charge balance. It is essential because it allows the circuit to complete by carrying electrical charge and maintaining electrical neutrality by allowing ions to migrate between the two half-cells, connecting the anode and the cathode.
Significantly, the salt bridge prevents the reaction from ceasing rapidly by neutralizing the charges that build up as the oxidation at the anode and the reduction at the cathode take place.