In all measurements it is desirable that quantities like the charge and the capacity be related to unit, true, surface area of the interface. While this is relatively simple for a liquid-liquid interface, there are great difficulties when one phase is solid. In any report of these quantities it is essential to give a clear statement as to whether they refer to the true or the apparent (geometric) area and, especially if the former is used, precisely how it was measured.
Source:
PAC, 1974, 37, 499. 'Electrochemical nomenclature' on page 509 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197437040499)