Standard Cell Potentials

[Cole Woulbroun 1J]

When calculating a standard cell potential, do you subtract the potential on the right from the potential on the left or subtract the potential of the cathode from the potential of the anode?

[Charisse Vu 1H]

Professor Lavelle says to do right minus left, because conventionally, the cathode is written on the right and the anode is written on the left. However, it should always be cathode-anode.

[Rory Simpson 2F]

By convention in writing out cell diagrams, the anode is typically on the left side and the cathode is typically on the right side. So, the standard cell potential would be the potential of the cathode minus the potential of the anode. You can tell if the left or right side is the cathode or anode based on the cell potential being positive or negative if you subtract the right side minus the left side.

[Sartaj Bal 1J]

The potential difference between electrodes is usually done by subtracting the left (anode, oxidation half reaction) from the right (cathode, reduction half reaction). If the result is positive, that means electrons are flowing from the left to the right, from the anode to the cathode, which is usually the case.

[Andres Merlos 2L]

The anode is typically on the left, while the cathode is on the right. It would be the potential on the right (cathode) minus the potential on the left (anode).