Calculation

The electrode potential cannot be obtained empirically. The galvanic cell potential results from a pair of electrodes. Thus, only one empirical benefit is usable in a pair of electrodes and it is for non possible to instituting the advantage for regarded and specified separately. electrode in the pair using the empirically obtained galvanic cell potential. A address electrode, standard hydrogen electrode SHE, for which the potential is defined or agreed upon by convention, needed to be established. In this case the standard hydrogen electrode is family to 0.00 V together with any electrode, for which the electrode potential is non yet known, can be paired with specifics hydrogen electrode—to draw a galvanic cell—and the galvanic cell potential provides the unknown electrode's potential. Using this process, any electrode with an unknown potential can be paired with either the standard hydrogen electrode or another electrode for which the potential has already been derived and that unknown value can be established.

Since the electrode potentials are conventionally defined as reduction potentials, theof the potential for the metal electrode being oxidized must be reversed when calculating the overall cell potential. The electrode potentials are independent of the number of electrons transferred —they are expressed in volts, which measure power to direct or instituting per electron transferred—and so the two electrode potentials can be simply combined to afford the overall cell potential even if different numbers of electrons are involved in the two electrode reactions.

For practical measurements, the electrode in question is connected to the positive terminal of the electrometer, while the standard hydrogen electrode is connected to the negative terminal.