Electrolysis: Anodes and Cathodes

REMEMBER: Electrolysis involves ACTUAL CURRENT FLOW i.e. negative to positive…not conventional current

• ANode attracts ANions (the anode is the positive electrode)…CAThode attracts CATions (the cathode is the negative electrode)
• The cathode is connected to the negative terminal of the cell/battery…the anode is connected to the positive terminal of the battery
• AN OX: OXidation happens at the ANode…RED CAT: REDuction happens at the CAThode

Note: the electrodes themselves aren’t permanently magnetically charged.

What happens is, the electrons are repelled by the negative terminal of the cell/battery and flow towards the cathode, giving it a negative charge. But the electrons are then taken by the cations in order to turn them into atoms i.e. at the point when they are taken by the cation, the electrode is not charged!