Which statement is true for a spontaneous redox reaction carried out at standard-state conditions?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At standard-state conditions, the standard cell potential (E°cell) of a spontaneous redox reaction is always positive. This is because the spontaneous reaction has a negative change in free energy (ΔG), meaning that it releases energy and can do work. E°cell is related to ΔG by the equation ΔG = -nF E°cell, where n is the number of electrons transferred and F is Faraday's constant. Since ΔG is negative for a spontaneous reaction, E°cell must be positive. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they refer to specific half-reactions (reduction of species 1 under standard conditions, oxidation of species 1 under standard conditions, and reduction of species 1 under standard conditions, respectively), which may or may not have negative or positive standard reduction potentials. However, E°cell is a measure of the total potential difference between the two half-reactions in the cell, not just one half-reaction.

Which Statement Is True for a Spontaneous Redox Reaction Carried