A cathode is the electrode in an electrolytic cell through which electrons flow from the negative to the positive pole. The word "cathode" comes from the Greek word meaning "downward flow."
What is a anode or cathode?
An anode is the electrode at which oxidation occurs in an electrochemical cell. The anode is the negative terminal in an electrolytic cell and the positive terminal in a galvanic cell.
A cathode is the electrode at which reduction occurs in an electrochemical cell. The cathode is the positive terminal in an electrolytic cell and the negative terminal in a galvanic cell.
What is a cathode in simple terms?
A cathode is the electrode in an electrochemical cell at which reduction occurs. Cathodes are distinguished from anodes by the direction of electron flow within the cell: electrons flow out of the cathode during reduction, while they flow into the anode during oxidation.
Reduction is the gain of electrons by an atom or molecule, while oxidation is the loss of electrons. In an electrochemical cell, the cathode is the electrode where reduction occurs and the anode is the electrode where oxidation occurs.
The terms anode and cathode are also used to refer to the poles of an electrical circuit, with the anode being the positive pole and the cathode being the negative pole. In this context, the terms are used to describe the direction of current flow, with current flowing from the anode to the cathode. What is a cathode and cation? A cathode is an electrode through which electrons flow into a circuit. A cation is an ion with a positive charge. Is anode always positive? No, the anode can be either positive or negative, depending on the particular device or circuit. In general, though, the anode is the terminal that is more positive than the cathode.
Why is the anode negative? The anode is a terminal that is connected to the positive side of a power source, while the cathode is connected to the negative side. The anode is the electrode at which oxidation occurs. In an electrolytic cell, the anode is the electrode at which the negative ions (anions) are attracted and deposited.