Electrolysis - Reflexions

Electrolysis

This is a group of phenomena associated with passing an external electric current through a chemical substance. The first electrolysis was carried out on May 2, 1800 by two English chemists, William Nicholson (1753-1815) and Anthony Carlisle (1768-1842): they caused water to break up into oxygen and hydrogen using an electric current. Chemical substances to which electrolysis has been applied are called electrolytes. These are ionic composites (acids, bases, salts). They are found in liquid form, dissolved or melted, and they constitute a conducting medium into which two electrodes are placed. When the current is passed through the substance, positive ions are attracted by the negative electrode (cathode) and negative ions migrate to the positive electrode (anode).