Notation for a Voltaic Cell
There is a shorthand notation for describing the components of a voltaic
cell. For example, the notation for the Zn/Cu2+ cell is:
The key parts of this notation are:
1) The components of the anode compartment (oxidation half-cell) are
written to the left of the components of the cathode compartment
(reduction half-cell).
2) A vertical line represents a phase boundary. For example, in the anode
Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) represents zinc metal in the solid phase and zinc ions
in solution. If they are in the same phase, they are separated by a
comma (e.g. H+(aq), MnO4-).
3) Half-cell components usually appear in the same order as in the cell.
4) A double vertical line represents the separation of the cells, or the
phase boundary set up by the salt bridge.
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