Electrode
Electrode is a conductor through which electricity enters or leaves an object, substance, or region. They are used in a wide range of applications, including but not limited to, electronics, chemistry, and medicine.
Overview[edit | edit source]
An Electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte, a vacuum or air). The word was coined by William Whewell at the request of the scientist Michael Faraday from two Greek words: elektron, meaning amber (from which the word electricity is derived), and hodos, a way.
Types of Electrodes[edit | edit source]
There are two types of electrodes: Anode and Cathode. The anode is positively charged, while the cathode is negatively charged.
Anode[edit | edit source]
The Anode is the electrode where oxidation (loss of electrons) takes place. In a galvanic cell, it is the negative electrode, as it is the electrode that provides electrons. In an electrolytic cell, it is the positive electrode.
Cathode[edit | edit source]
The Cathode is the electrode where reduction (gain of electrons) takes place. In a galvanic cell, it is the positive electrode, as it is the electrode that accepts electrons. In an electrolytic cell, it is the negative electrode.
Electrodes in Medicine[edit | edit source]
In medicine, electrodes are used in numerous ways, including in ECG machines to monitor heart activity, in EEG machines to monitor brain activity, and in ECT for treating mental disorders.
See Also[edit | edit source]
- Electrolysis
- Electrochemical cell
- Battery
- Fuel cell
- Electrode potential
- Standard electrode potential
References[edit | edit source]
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD