Question

Hydrogen electrode which is the reference electrode can be used as which of the following?

(a) Anode only

(b) Cathode only

(c) Anode or Cathode

(d) Salt bridge

This question was posed to me in an international level competition.

The doubt is from Hydrogen and Glass Electrodes topic in portion pH Meters and Ion Analysers of Analytical Instrumentation

Answer 1

Right answer is (c) Anode or Cathode

To explain I would say: Hydrogen electrode which is the reference electrode can be used as the anode or the cathode. It depends on the half-cell to which it is coupled.