The Cottrell atmosphere refers to a specific electrochemical phenomenon that occurs during the mass transport of species in an electrochemical cell, particularly during voltammetric experiments. Named after the scientist who studied it, the Cottrell equation describes the current response of an electrochemical system under conditions of diffusion-controlled mass transport when an electrode is suddenly held at a potential that allows for faradaic reactions. In a Cottrell atmosphere, the current is proportional to the square root of time.
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