Electrolysis simply explained

Electrolysis is a chemical process in which an electric current is used to trigger a non-spontaneous redox reaction. This reaction leads to the splitting of molecules into their components through electrolysis.

During electrolysis, the electrolyte (an electrically conductive liquid) is broken down into ion pairs. A voltage \(U\) is applied to the electrodes in the electrolyte. Negative ions then migrate towards the positively charged electrode (positive pole of the voltage source) and release electrons. Positive ions move towards the negative electrode (negative pole of the voltage source) and absorb electrons.