Electrochemistry Fundamentals

This lecture covers the fundamentals of electrochemistry, focusing on cell potential, current production, and the relationship between current and reactant conversion. It explains the concepts of standard cell potential, equilibrium potential, and open circuit potential. The instructor discusses the effect of electrode material and additional electrolytes on current-voltage plots, emphasizing the importance of overpotential in driving reactions. Analogies between chemical reactivity and electrochemistry are explored, highlighting the role of overpotential in reaction rates. The lecture concludes with a discussion on deriving analytical expressions for current-voltage curves.