Thread: Half Cells

I was lookng up this programme that teaches half cells.

i came across the following passage and it doesnt make sense to me
hopefully someone can help me out

it writes
If a standardy hydrogen half cell is connected to a standard zinc cell. the reading on the high resistance voltmeter will be -0.76. a negative electrode potential means the hydrogen half cell is acting as an electron acceptor. i get that part

electrons flow from the zinc cell to the hydrogen cell. i get that part

the more negative the electrode potential the stronger the reduced species (here Zn) is an electron donor.

my problem is i can't see why Zn is the reduced species.

Zn -----> Zn2+ + 2e-

it seems to me that the zinc has been oxidised here not lost.
do you think it means reducing species. like reducing agent?
or maybe i have just missed something obvious.

In the system, the zinc metal is the reduced species and Zn²⁺ is the oxidised species. Same goes for the hydrogen, H⁺ is the oxidised species and H₂ is the reduced species.

It's simply because of the difference of the Zn⁰ and Zn²⁺ species.

Hope that's clear...

oh so does that mean Zn is like the reduced form?

of the reaction Zn2+ + 2e- -----> Zn

Yeah, that's basically it. Zn is the reduced species in that half reaction and in the overall (forward) reaction...

Zn + 2H⁺ --> Zn²⁺ + H₂

cheers dude thats really helpful