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The electrode at which a reduction reaction occurs.
Physics
A cathode is the element of an electron tube from which electrons flow. Back in the day, current was thought to be positive, but we understand things differently now. In the "old school" version, the cathode was the element into which positive charges flowed. But that's usually not what is taught for the simple reason that it's a classical physics approach and isn't at all as useful as the idea that the cathode is the element from which electrons leave to go to the plate.
In a two-element tube, the cathode has a compliment called the anode, or plate. Electrons flow from the cathode to the anode. Not the other way. There are tubes with three, four, and more elements, but they have these two basic elements.
Chemistry
The cathode is the electrode of a polarized electrical device, such as a galvanic cell, out of which positive electric current flows. In a battery like the one in a vehicle, the positive terminal is the cathode. The car battery, which is a lead-acid battery, also has an electrode that is the compliment to the cathode: the anode. It's the negative terminal of the battery, and positive electric current flows into this electrode.
The Wikipedia article on the cathode covers both the chemistry application of the term as well as the physics application, and a link is provided.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Zavion Hanspard
The electrode at which a reduction reaction occurs
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoIt is one of the polarized electrodes, entering an electronic device.
A battery has two electrodes, Anode and Cathode. In this instance the cathode is the positive terminal.
In a vacuum tube, the cathode supplies electrons to the tube and is Negative.
In a semi-conductor diode, it is negative and is the electrode by which the electrons leave the device.
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Answer #2: (slight correction #1)
The cathode is always the negatively charged electrode.
The cathode attracts 'cations' ... cathode-seeking ions ... positively charged things.
The cathode is the source of electrons, or the electron donor.
The positive terminal of a battery is not its cathode.
Another Answer
This can be confusing, because chemical engineers and electrical engineers use the terms 'anode' and 'cathode' differently but, these days, the chemical engineers' definition has been accepted. And, so, I'm afraid that the original answer is correct.
It's now accepted that, in the case of a cell or battery, electrons, travel through the external circuit from the anode to the cathode. This means that a cell's anode is thecell's negative terminal and its cathode is the positive terminal. This is confusing because older electrical textbooks would have it the other way around! Modern electrical textbooks, however, accept the chemical engineers' definition as defined in the previous sentence.
However, when the terms anode and cathode are applied to electronic devices, such as vacuum tubes, etc., the anode is considered to be the positive electrode and the cathode is considered to be the negative electrode.
So, it's hardly surprising there's so much confusion over this topic!
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago# A stream of electrons emitted by the cathode in electrical discharge tubes. # One of the electrons that is emitted in a stream from a cathode-ray tube.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoA Cathode is Negative terminal and Anode is Positive terminal.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe positive terminal in a cell.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agothe cathode is of negtive charge
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Where does reduction occur in an electrochemical cell?
The cathode.
The anode in an electrochemical cell has this charge?
The Anode in electrochemical cell has negative charge (-ve).
What happens in electrochemical cell to cause it to go flat?
An electrochemical cell comprises of 2 REDOX half cells. These are made of a metal dipped in a solution of its own ions. One of these metals will corrode away to form ions and electrons- which form the basis of the electric current by acting as the cathode. Simply put, an electrochemical cell goes flat because there's no more metal left to break down, thus it goes flat.
What is a voltiac cell?
A voltaic cell is also called a Galvanic Cell. It is an electrochemical cell, but unlike other electrochemical cells it uses spontaneous redox reactions to create electricity.
Who was the first electrochemical cell was invented by?
bell
Where does reduction occur in an electrochemical cell?
The cathode.
What gets heavier in an electrochemical cell?
The cathode
What gets heavier and electrochemical cell?
The cathode
What parts of the cell are used to connect a electrochemical cell to a circuit?
The nodes of the electrochemical cell are called the electrodes. The Cathode is the + end (of a battery). Negative charge enters through it. The - end is called the anode.
What is a positive or negative pole of an electrochemical cell?
They are called the electrodes or terminals. The parts of a cell where current leaves and enters the cell. The cathode is the positive, the anode is the negative.
What is Function of electrochemical cells in oxidation?
in the cathode
What is cathode and anode?
cathode is electron negative but anode is positiveAnswerFor electrochemical cells, electrons travel through the external circuit from the anode to the cathode.
Difference between electrolysis and electrochemical cells?
In an electrochemical cell, electrons move spontaneously from anode to cathode. In electrolytic cell, energy has be applied to make electrons move in the circuit. Electrochemical cell are easy to create.
The anode in an electrochemical cell has this charge?
The Anode in electrochemical cell has negative charge (-ve).
What happens in electrochemical cell to cause it to go flat?
An electrochemical cell comprises of 2 REDOX half cells. These are made of a metal dipped in a solution of its own ions. One of these metals will corrode away to form ions and electrons- which form the basis of the electric current by acting as the cathode. Simply put, an electrochemical cell goes flat because there's no more metal left to break down, thus it goes flat.
Describe the functioning of copper zinc electrochemical cell?
describe the functioning of copper zinc electrochemical cell
What happens in the cathode in an electrolytic cell?
Reduction occurs at the cathode in an electrolytic cell.
