2 ways to calculate net standard reduction potential

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 2K views
TT0
Messages
210
Reaction score
3
On chemwiki, they gave 2 equations to find the standard reduction potential of a cell:

Eocell = Eocathode + Eoanode

Eocell = Eocathode - Eoanode

Why are there 2 equations and when do you use each one?

Thanks
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Is the first one the American convention? (Im taking the SAT)
 
Unless I am missing something I feel like there is a mistake in these formulas. Sign of the overall cell potential can be a matter of convention, but the absolute potential shouldn't be. I wonder if they did not omit a minus sign in one of the formulas.
 
Would calculating spontaneity of reaction be the 2 reduction potentials just added to each other?