Example of finding the standard electrode potential for a half reaction
 Let E①(V) be the potential generated in the electron 4e- that is transferred in the half reaction ① of organic matter oxidation.
 The unit of volt (V) can be converted to (J/C), where J (joule) is the unit of energy and C (coulomb) is the unit of charge. The absolute value of the amount of charge that one mole of electrons has is given by Faraday constant (F) 96485 (C/mol).
 Therefore, the energy possessed by the electron 4e- in the half-reaction equation ① is -4・F・E①(J).
 The standard Gibbs energy of formation for each substance, including the energy held by this electron, is noted below the half-reaction equation, and the equation is solved to balance the energies on the left and right sides of the half-reaction.
                                                                                                                              
Standard electrode potentials for half-reactions of organic matter oxidation
                          (original form)               (productform)
①                         CO2
 +   4H+
  +    4e-   =    CH2O    +     H2O
Gf0 (kJ/mol)        -385        0                        -129.7      -237.18
electric energy(J)                       -4FE①
 
Equation that balances the total energy of the left and right sides:
-385・103 -4FE①    =   -129.7・103 -237.18・103
 
Find the unknown number E①.
E①    =  (-129.7・103 -237.18・103+ 385・103)/(-4・96485) = -0.05 (V)
 This means that the total difference (product form - original form) between the standard Gibbs energy of formation of the left side (original form) and the right side (product form) is given to the four electrons. In a redox reaction, the energy given to these electrons is used to recombine chemical bonds.
 The potential calculated from that energy (E①) is called the standard electrode potential for that half-reaction. Since the standard Gibbs energy of formation is unique to a substance, each half-reaction equation has a unique standard electrode potential.