A Note on Work Functions and Chemical Potentials

It is shown that the work of extraction (equal to the product of work function by molar charge) cannot be considered as equal to the chemical potential. In particular the electron work function of a metal does not correspond to the chemical potential of the electron in the metal and cannot be used in attempts at obtaining absolute metal-solution potential differences. The exact relationships involving these quantities are derived and linked with Galvani and Volta potential differences.