-1

Determining which electrode is the cathode and the other the anode is providing to be quite confusing.

We are given the polarity of the dc supply, a cell, and then we should be able to determine the cathode and anode.

enter image description here

As shown by the diagram above the positively charge anode is on the same side as the positive terminal of the voltage source and vice versa. My problem with this, is that the reality is the current flows from negative to positive, and does not obey the conventional current, hence the anode and cathode should be switched.

However, every diagram I have seen has done the same thing as above. I understand that this this convention, but here we shouldn't be able to do this, if we were to observe this process, there would be a build up on the wrong electrode if we followed this convention.

How do we label it?

MrRedPanda
  • 17
  • https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/68533/which-is-anode-and-which-is-cathode – Mithoron Mar 23 '24 at 01:12
  • Anode is always the electrode where oxidation happens, whatever the cell. It is valid both in electrolysis and in a galvanic cell. – Maurice Mar 23 '24 at 09:19
  • Pay attention to the flow of the electrons (or that the spoon is being silver-plated), not the plus and minus signs. Reduction happens at the cathode ("red cat"), oxidation happens at the anode ("an ox"). – Karsten Mar 23 '24 at 14:41

0 Answers0