The nature of electrode polarization, previously investigated for Pt paste electrodes, is now studied for Pt foil, Ag and Au paste, and Ag foil electrodes. The current interruption method with a reference electrode is employed in the temperature range 500°–800°C under
O2‐normalAr
gas mixtures. Electrode structures are also examined by optical and electron microscopy. The principal experimental feature is that the Butler‐Volmer equation is obeyed with cathodic and anodic transfer coefficients of
1/2
and
3/2
, respectively, and an effective exchange current which varies as the
3/8
power of
pO2
. Also, transient decay curves are much slower than for the pure charge transfer mechanism. These features can be interpreted in terms of a model in which charge transfer takes place in the two‐phase region between electrode and electrolyte, but where the rate is controlled by interfacial diffusion of oxygen atoms along the electrode, except when the electrode particles are extremely small. For extreme cases of diffusion limitation, the adatom concentration over most of the two‐phase region becomes so low that electrolyte reduction takes place. The resulting appreciable electronic contribution can be treated in terms of the Wagner polarization‐cell theory.