Cell potential, also known as electromotive force (emf), measures how much voltage difference there is between two half-cells in an electrochemical cell. It indicates how much driving force there is for a redox reaction to occur.
Consider Ecell like water pressure in your garden hose; it determines how forcefully water will come out when you open up the nozzle - just like Ecell determines how strongly reactions want to proceed forward!
Voltage Difference: The difference in electric potential between two points, which motivates electron flow forming current.
Galvanic Cell: Also known as voltaic cells, these are devices in which spontaneous oxidation-reduction reactions produce electrical energy.
Nernst Equation: An equation that relates the reduction potential of an electrochemical reaction (half-cell or full cell reaction) to the standard electrode potential, temperature, and activities (often approximated by concentrations) of the chemical species undergoing reduction and oxidation.
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