Electrochemical series: A series is made up according to the oxidation tendency of elements in descending order or according to reduction tendency in ascending order. This list or series is known as electrochemical series. In order words we can say, when the elements are arraned in order of their standard reduction potential (E0red) an important series is obtained which is called electrochemical or electro-motive series.
Implement of electrochemical series in current flow electric cell:
Some of the implementations of electrochemical series in the current flow electric cell is given below:-
- Larger values of standard oxidation potential (E0ox) or lower values of the standard reduction potential (E0red) indicate greater tendency of the metal to lose electrons i.e. higher metallic or electrochemical character.
- A negative value of reduction potential indicates that the metal has a greater tendency to lose electrons i.e. to be oxidized into its own ion that the tendency of its ion to be reduced by gaining electron.
- A positive reduction potential value indicates that the tendency of the metal ion to be reduced by gaining electron is more than the tendency of the metal to be oxidized by losing electron.
- An element having higher negative reaction potential will replace all other before it will lower negative potential values from their aqueous solution of CuSO4 i.e. Zn, will reduce Cu2+ and itself will be oxidized.
- The higher the standard reduction potential (E0red) of an element the stronger is the oxidizing power of its oxidized form and weaker is the reducing power of its reduced form.
- An oxidizing agent with higher E0red value can oxidize a system with lower E0red Thus the numerical magnitude of E0red value is a measure of the strength of an oxidant.
- All half cell reactions are reversible. Hence half cell potential of any oxidation is equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to that of the recerse process i.e. reduction.
