tina_goes_doo
Pharmer in Training
So...EMF ay?
If you are given a cell which doesn't even work in the first place, then that cell must necessarily have a negative EMF (or perhaps a 0 EMF)lum said:but with the reversing sign of the smaller potential doesn't always work. i forgot what the question was, but in the answer, it was the negative of what i thought was the answer, would it be becuase it asked for the oxidation potential rather than the reduction potential?
Wrong. Electrochemical is a process involving electrochemistry. Which is related to electricity being created or converted from chemical activity.Slide Rule said:Uh... Galvanic cells are electrochemical cells.... and so are electrolytic cells.
"electrochemical" - chemical process which produces electricity.
um, sorry, but if i switch the LHS and the RHS, how does that switch the signs of the potentials? the anode would still be the anode and cathode still cathode.Slide Rule said:If you are given a cell which doesn't even work in the first place, then that cell must necessarily have a negative EMF (or perhaps a 0 EMF)
It will work if you switch the LHS and the RHS, which effectively also switches the signs of your potentials (reduction becomes oxidation and vice versa), such that the absolute value of the EMF will be the same, but the total EMF is POSITIVE, with the cell actually working (displacement occurring).
If a question asks for oxidation potential, it will be the negative of what it is listed as being on the standard REDUCTION potentials table.
Oh, and I support speaking, writing and typing proper English.