Recharging an electrochemical cell

[RK1992]

If you want to recharge an elctrochemical cell, which electrode do you supply with more electrons?

My thinking was:

There was a P.D. between the elctrodes but now that the cell is spent, the P.D. is lower. To create a P.D. again, you must make the negative electrode more nagative or the positive electrode more positive.

You could do this either by giving the negative electrode more electrons making it more negative (so you could connect the electrode to the positive terminal of the mains which will deliver electrons making the electrode more negatively charged), or you could strip the positive electrode of electrons making it more positive (this is harder to do).

So am I right in saying that to recharge a fuel cell, you supply the electrode which was originally negative with more electrons creating a greater P.D. and thus a current again.

If not, could you explain the flaw in my thinking. :)

Thanks.

 

[jbsteele]

Yes, you are correct. To recharge a fuel cell, you need to supply the negative electrode with more electrons in order to create a greater potential difference and thus a current again.