cathode rays (2 Viewers)

[currysauce]

am i the only one who got confused when they learnt that anode is positive


i mean, ok i'll accept it, but in chemistry, they drill you learning about cells in the first topic, with the anode being the negative terminal.... wtf that confused me

 

[rama_v]

The trick is to never get yourself into a habit of thinking that the anode is positive or negative. ALWAYS, the anode is where oxidation occurs, and the cathode is where reduction occurs. AN OX and RED CAT

I think the reason is that cations(positive ions) move towards the negative terminal hence they named it the cathode...

 

[batigol]

cant be...cathode is where the electrons, not cations, come from so the naming is a bit confusing here.

 

[Emma-Jayde]

*Bump*

I found this concept confusing at first too...

Then I worked this out...

Electrons are the negative particles, they are repelled from the negative terminal.
In redox reactions, oxidation is loss of electrons, and it occurs at the anode.
This would make the anode a POSITIVE terminal, as it is where the electrons are attracted to.

This would make the cathode negative, as the electrons are moving away from it.

In chemistry, the terminals have been labelled positve and negative because they state that the negative terminal is where the negatively charged particles are, and the same with positive.

 

[wanton-wonton]

am i the only one who got confused when they learnt that anode is positive


i mean, ok i'll accept it, but in chemistry, they drill you learning about cells in the first topic, with the anode being the negative terminal.... wtf that confused me

In an galvanic cell, anode is negative. In an electrolytic cell, anode is positive.

 

[wanton-wonton]

*Bump*

I found this concept confusing at first too...

Then I worked this out...

Electrons are the negative particles, they are repelled from the negative terminal.
In redox reactions, oxidation is gain of electrons, and it occurs at the anode.
This would make the anode a POSITIVE terminal, as it is where the electrons are attracted to.

This would make the cathode negative, as the electrons are moving away from it.

In chemistry, the terminals have been labelled positve and negative because they state that the negative terminal is where the negatively charged particles are, and the same with positive.

What? Oxidation is the loss of electrons, not gain. Reading your post, you are totally confused.

 

[Emma-Jayde]

Gaaah brain-to-fingers malfunction.
I know what I meant.

 

[wanton-wonton]

Gaaah brain-to-fingers malfunction.
I know what I meant.

Sure you did.