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2.1 Introduction to Electrochemistry

  • Page ID
    32273
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    During redox reactions, electrons pass from one substance to another. The flow of electrons - electric current - can be harnessed to do work. Electrochemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the conversion between chemical and electrical energy.

    There are two major branches of electrochemistry, which we will examine in this section:

    Electrochemical Cells


    the energy released by a spontaneous chemical reaction is converted into electrical energy.

    Examples: batteries

    Electrolytic Cells

    electrical energy is used to cause a non-spontaneous chemical reaction to occur.

    Examples:
    recharging batteries & electroplating


    2.1 Introduction to Electrochemistry is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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