I get that galvanic cells require a salt bridge to maintain neutrality so the cathode doesn't become saturated with electrons, but why is a two-cell setup required? Wouldn't the spontaneous reaction occur and neutral conditions be met if Cu and Zn electrodes were placed in a solution of NaCl?
And vice versa, couldn't an electrolytic cell work just fine with a salt bridge?
This website (and many others) leads me to believe that galvanic cells must have a salt bridge and electrolytic cells must be a single cell. My intuition says that's not right though. Is it because you don't want undesirable compounds reacting at the electrodes? I'd think you'd want the same for both EC cell types if that was the case and electrolytic cells would use salt bridges as well (eg proton exchange membranes). http://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Analytical_Chemistry/Electrochemistry/Electrolytic_Cells
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