Cell description conventions

In order to make it easier to describe a given electrochemical cell, a special symbolic notation has been adopted. In this notation the cell we described above would be

Zn(s) | Zn²⁺(aq) || Cu²⁺(aq) | Cu(s)

There are several other conventions relating to cell notation and nomenclature that you are expected to know:

• The anode is where oxidation occurs, and the cathode is the site of reduction. In an actual cell, the identity of the electrodes depends on the direction in which the net cell reaction is occurring.
• If electrons flow from the left electrode to the right electrode (as depicted in the above cell notation) when the cell operates in its spontaneous direction, the potential of the right electrode will be higher than that of the left, and the cell potential will be positive.
• "Conventional current flow" is from positive to negative, which is opposite to the direction of the electron flow. This means that if the electrons are flowing from the left electrode to the right, a galvanometer placed in the external circuit would indicate a current flow from right to left.

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