Question

Negative sign in the standard electrode potential indicates:
A. greater ease of oxidation compared to that of hydrogen
B. greater ease of reduction compared to that of hydrogen
C. lesser ease of oxidation compared to that of hydrogen
D. none of these

Answer 1

Hint: In an electrochemical cell, the redox reaction is divided into two halves of the cell which are oxidation half and reduction half. The oxidation reaction occurs in anode cell and reduction reaction occurs in cathode cell.

Complete step by step answer:
In electrochemistry the standard electrode potential is described as the measurement of single potential of electrodes which are reversible with each other at standard state where the ions have effective concentration of 1 mol $d{m^{ - 3}}$ at 1 atm pressure.
In electrochemical cells like galvanic cells the main reaction involved is the redox reaction which is formed by oxidation reaction and reduction reaction. The oxidation reaction takes place at anode where loss of electrons takes place and reduction reaction takes place at cathode where gain of electrons takes place. The electric potential difference between the two electrodes results in the formation of electricity. The potential difference arises due to the difference between the individual potential of the two metal electrodes compared to the electrolyte. In the galvanic cell the negative charged electrode is the anode and positively charged electrode is the cathode. The negative sign in the standard electrode means that the tendency to get reduced is less than hydrogen and the tendency to oxidize is more than hydrogen. The positive sign in the standard electrode means that the tendency to get reduced is more than hydrogen and tendency to get oxidized is less than hydrogen.
Therefore, the correct option is A.

Note:
In terms of hydrogen, the oxidation reaction is defined as loss of hydrogen and reduction reaction is defined as gain of hydrogen.