Standard electrode potentials are conventionally given as which type of reaction?

Standard electrode potentials are conventionally given as reduction reactions. This is because standard electrode potential values are defined based on the tendency of a species to gain electrons and be reduced under standard conditions (1 M concentration for ions, 1 atm pressure for gases, and a specified temperature, typically 25 °C).

When discussing standard electrode potentials, the reactions are often written in the form of:

[ \text{Oxidized species} + e^- \leftrightarrow \text{Reduced species} ]

This notation emphasizes the reduction aspect, where the gain of electrons (the reduction process) is being measured. The potential associated with this reaction reflects how strongly a species will gain electrons, thus serving as a key indicator of its oxidizing or reducing capabilities in electrochemical cells.

In summary, the convention of presenting standard electrode potentials as reduction reactions allows for a standardized and systematic approach to comparing the strengths of different oxidizing agents in electrochemistry.