You’re probably already familiar with batteries. They power the devices around us, like our cellphones, electric vehicles, etc. But you may not know that the source of this power is a type of chemical reaction.

In the first section of this chapter, the reader is introduced to the chemistry of reduction-oxidation (redox) reactions. This important reaction class is defined by changes in oxidation states for one or more reactant elements, and it includes a subset of reactions involving the transfer of electrons between reactant species. Around the turn of the nineteenth century, chemists began exploring ways these electrons could be transferred indirectly via an external circuit rather than directly via intimate contact of redox reactants. In the two centuries since, the field of electrochemistry has evolved to yield significant insights on the fundamental aspects of redox chemistry as well as a wealth of technologies ranging from industrial-scale metallurgical processes to robust, rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles (Figure 17.1). In this chapter, the essential concepts of electrochemistry will be addressed.