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Glossary
This is an exhaustive list of terms that are used in electrochemistry. Please note that they have been taken from the Nelson grade 12 Chemistry textbook. It is important for students to understand and memorize some of the key terms because it makes it easier to understand the unit. Hence, the most important terms in this unit are listed below.
Pedagogical Reasoning: Please note the following list of terms should not be given to the students. Rather they are a reference for the instructor. Students should be encouraged to construct their own definitions which they will understand. To get students started they can begin by copying these key definitions into their notes and define them by including an example for each one. Teachers are advised not to give students the definitions but instead ask them to research the definitions and add them to their notes in their own words (to enhance comprehension).
Terms and Definitions
Ampere (A) the SI unit for electric current; 1 A = 1 C/s
Anode the electrode where oxidation occurs
Battery a group of two or more electric cells connected in series
Cathode the electrode where reduction occurs
Cathodic protection a method of corrosion prevention in which the metal being protected is forced to become the cathode of a cell, using either an impressed current or a sacrificial anode
Corrosion an electrochemical process in which a metal reacts with substances in the environment, returning the metal to an ore-like state
Coulomb (C) the SI unit for electric charge
Electric cell a device that continuously converts chemical energy into electrical energy
Electric current the rate of flow of charge past a point
Electric potential difference (voltage) the potential energy difference per unit charge
Electrode a solid electrical conductor
Electrolyte an aqueous electrical conductor
Fuel cell an electric cell that produces electricity by a continually supplied fuel
Galvanic cell an arrangement of two half-cells that can produce electricity spontaneously
Half-cell an electrode and an electrolyte forming half of a complete cell
Half-reaction Equation Method: A method for balancing redox equations. This method assumes the reaction occurs in aqueous, acidic solution where H2O and H+ are plentiful. If the reaction occurs in a basic solution, this method allows for a correction at the end.
Inert electrode a solid conductor that will not react with any substances present in a cell (usually carbon or platinum)
Oxidation number a positive or negative number corresponding to the apparent charge that an atom in a molecule or ion would have if the electron pairs in covalent bonds belonged entirely to the more electronegative atom
Oxidizing agent a substance that gains or removes electrons from another substance in a redox reaction
Primary cell an electric cell that cannot be recharged
Redox spontaneity rule a spontaneous redox reaction occurs only if the oxidizing agent (OA) is above the reducing agent (RA) in a table of relative strengths of oxidizing and reducing agents
Reference half-cell a half-cell arbitrarily assigned an electrode potential of exactly zero volts; the standard hydrogen half-cell
Secondary cell an electric cell that can be recharged
Standard cell a galvanic cell in which each half-cell contains all entities shown in the half-reaction equation at SATP conditions, with a concentration of 1.0 mol/L for the aqueous entities
Standard cell potential ΔE° is the maximum electric potential difference (voltage) of a cell operating under standard conditions
Standard reduction potential ΔEr° represents the ability of a standard half-cell to attract electrons in a reduction half reaction
Volt (V) the SI unit for electric potential difference; 1 V = 1 J/C
References
Kessel, Hans. Nelson chemistry 12. Toronto: Thomson Nelson, 2003. Print.
Pedagogical Reasoning: Please note the following list of terms should not be given to the students. Rather they are a reference for the instructor. Students should be encouraged to construct their own definitions which they will understand. To get students started they can begin by copying these key definitions into their notes and define them by including an example for each one. Teachers are advised not to give students the definitions but instead ask them to research the definitions and add them to their notes in their own words (to enhance comprehension).
- Electrochemistry, Oxidation-reduction reaction, Oxidation, Reduction. Oxidizing agent. Reducing agent, Anode, Cathode, Electrolyte, Electrode, Electrolytic cell, Half-reaction
Terms and Definitions
Ampere (A) the SI unit for electric current; 1 A = 1 C/s
Anode the electrode where oxidation occurs
Battery a group of two or more electric cells connected in series
Cathode the electrode where reduction occurs
Cathodic protection a method of corrosion prevention in which the metal being protected is forced to become the cathode of a cell, using either an impressed current or a sacrificial anode
Corrosion an electrochemical process in which a metal reacts with substances in the environment, returning the metal to an ore-like state
Coulomb (C) the SI unit for electric charge
Electric cell a device that continuously converts chemical energy into electrical energy
Electric current the rate of flow of charge past a point
Electric potential difference (voltage) the potential energy difference per unit charge
Electrode a solid electrical conductor
Electrolyte an aqueous electrical conductor
Fuel cell an electric cell that produces electricity by a continually supplied fuel
Galvanic cell an arrangement of two half-cells that can produce electricity spontaneously
Half-cell an electrode and an electrolyte forming half of a complete cell
Half-reaction Equation Method: A method for balancing redox equations. This method assumes the reaction occurs in aqueous, acidic solution where H2O and H+ are plentiful. If the reaction occurs in a basic solution, this method allows for a correction at the end.
Inert electrode a solid conductor that will not react with any substances present in a cell (usually carbon or platinum)
Oxidation number a positive or negative number corresponding to the apparent charge that an atom in a molecule or ion would have if the electron pairs in covalent bonds belonged entirely to the more electronegative atom
Oxidizing agent a substance that gains or removes electrons from another substance in a redox reaction
Primary cell an electric cell that cannot be recharged
Redox spontaneity rule a spontaneous redox reaction occurs only if the oxidizing agent (OA) is above the reducing agent (RA) in a table of relative strengths of oxidizing and reducing agents
Reference half-cell a half-cell arbitrarily assigned an electrode potential of exactly zero volts; the standard hydrogen half-cell
Secondary cell an electric cell that can be recharged
Standard cell a galvanic cell in which each half-cell contains all entities shown in the half-reaction equation at SATP conditions, with a concentration of 1.0 mol/L for the aqueous entities
Standard cell potential ΔE° is the maximum electric potential difference (voltage) of a cell operating under standard conditions
Standard reduction potential ΔEr° represents the ability of a standard half-cell to attract electrons in a reduction half reaction
Volt (V) the SI unit for electric potential difference; 1 V = 1 J/C
References
Kessel, Hans. Nelson chemistry 12. Toronto: Thomson Nelson, 2003. Print.