What is Potential?

[Eliana Carney 3E]

Hey guys!
I'm a little confused on what exactly potential is. For example, when you say that the cathode has more potential than the anode, what does this mean? Does it have to do with its ability to pull electrons towards itself? Thanks in advance!

[Katelynn Shaheen 2C]

The cell potential for cathodes and anodes can be referred to as the reduction potential because it relates to their ability to gain electrodes. When the cathode has more potential than the anode, it means that they gain more electrons. The potential for anodes is less because they become oxidized and loses more electrons.

[Sandy Lin 1L]

Standard potential can be described as the measure of electron pulling which also means how likely something is going to be reduced. The reduction half-reaction with the greater potential is the chemical species that gets reduced at the cathode.

[Daniel Hernandez 1G]

Reduction potential is the proper term for electron attraction. The higher the reduction potential (RP), the higher the chance the species will be reduced. For instance, in the presence of a free electron, atom A has a RP of 1.26 whereas atom B has a RP of .56. Atom A would attract the free electron because of its higher RP.

[Taylor Newville 1C]

Standard reduction potential is the likelihood that something will be reduced (gain electrons).

[Gustavo_Chavez_1K]

Yeah so standard reaction potential is essentially measures the likelihood of reduction (the gaining of electrons) occurring in the species.

[Nayra Gharpetian 3F]

this means that the cathode has a greater electron pulling ability. aka the cathode has a greater likelihood of being reduced, which means it is gaining electrons

[manisha_joseph_1H]

Potential refers to the driving force for the electrons, in this case, the ability for a cathode to pull the electrons as a result of an oxidation reaction towards itself in order to reduce a compound.

[Lilly Catarozoli 1B]

Standard reduction potential is the power of gaining electrons/being reduced.

[sophia kosturos 2B]

standard reduction potential refers to how likely something is to be reduced, or gain electrons. In your example, this can be interpreted as the cathode will gain more electrons because its potential is higher than that of the anode.

[Neel Sharma 3F]

The potential is the difference in cathode and anode standard reduction potentials before the switch for the system or galvanic cell is turned on. It is commonly measured with a voltage meter. Hope this helps!

[Brian_Wu_3B]

It is the potential for two electrodes to do work. The difference in potential between two electrodes is a measure of how much potential work they can do.

[Colin Squire 3B]

Going off of sapling question week 7/8 #20, potential is the driving force to make the electrons move, which is also known, and measured in, voltage.

[Linette Choi 3L]

Potential is the ability of the system to gain electrons (reduction).

[Jared Limqueco 3E]

It measures the likelihood of a species gaining e-, or being reduced