10.1 : 電気化学: 概要

Electrochemistry involves using electrical quantities to analyze chemical reactions.

An oxidation–reduction or redox reaction can be split into two half-reactions representing the transfer of electrons from the reducing agent to the oxidizing agent.

When such electrons flow through an electric circuit, the measured current and cell voltage can reveal information about the reaction.

When a charge, q, passes through a potential difference, E, the resulting work is proportional to E. In contrast, E is related to the change in free energy for the electrochemical reaction.

According to Ohm's law, the current, I, is inversely proportional to the resistance, R, of the circuit and directly proportional to the potential, E.

In this way, electrochemical experiments can be used to determine the free energy change and work done either by varying potential or current.