Redox Potential

Synonyms

E ; E _H ; Oxidation; Reduction potential

Keywords

Oxidation, reduction, electrochemical potential

Definition

A measure of the thermodynamic driving force for a species to either donate electrons (be oxidized) or accept electrons (be reduced) in aqueous chemical reactions.

Overview

With origins in electrochemistry, the concept of redox potential is also widely employed in describing and understanding the energetics of electron transfer chemistry in biological and geochemical systems. While defined in the strict chemical sense in reference to a single species or reaction, redox potential is also sometimes considered in both biology and geochemistry as a property of an overall system (e.g., an assemblage of microorganisms or minerals) that influences reactions and processes occurring within the system. Significant differences exist in the terminology and measures used to describe redox potential in the geochemical and biological sciences, but all relate fundamentally to the...