Conventional current flows out of the device at the copper terminal, so that makes copper the cathode. Here, electrons flow “out of the device” from the zinc terminal, so the conventional current is flowing into the device here. Copper is being reduced (it gains electrons): Here, the incoming electrons combine with Cu 2+ ions and form copper atoms. The electrons lost by zinc flow across the wires onto the copper electrode. In other words, zinc is being oxidised (it loses electrons). At the zinc electrode, the zinc dissociates into Zn 2+ ions and electrons. In the cell drawn above, copper has a higher reduction potential than zinc, so it draws electrons from the zinc electrode. The electrode with a higher reduction potential has a stronger ability to gain electrons, so electrons flow into it from the other electrode. In a Galvanic cell, one of the electrodes is at a higher reduction potential than the other. This means that electrons flow out of the device at the anode. What is an AnodeĪnode is the terminal where the (conventional) current flows into a device from outside. In this article, we will look at several scenarios where these terms are used, and explore their usage in terms of the processes that occur in these devices. Undoubtedly, this may lead to confusion and it is advisable to adapt to the general usage in the specific field. However, the usage is not strictly followed in some instances, because when a device is able to undergo a reversible process, the same terminal that was called the “anode” could be now called the “cathode”. The terms cathode and anode are used to refer to terminals of a polarised electrical device. The main difference between anode and cathode is that, in general, anode is the terminal where the (conventional) current flows into a device from outside, whereas cathode is the terminal where (conventional) current flows out of the device.
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