When setting up an electroplating system, how do you set up the terminals of the voltage source to the anode and cathode? Does oxidation or reduction happen at the cathode? What does this require? Based on your answer, to which terminal of the battery would you attach the cathode?
To set up the terminals of the voltage source in an electroplating system, you need to understand the concepts of oxidation and reduction. In electroplating, metal ions in a solution are reduced and deposited onto a solid surface, forming a layer of metal coating. This process requires two electrodes: the anode and the cathode.
Oxidation occurs at the anode, where metal atoms from the anode are oxidized, releasing metal ions into the solution. Reduction, on the other hand, occurs at the cathode, where the metal ions in the solution are reduced and deposited onto the cathode surface, forming the desired metal coating.
To connect the anode and cathode to the voltage source, you need to ensure that the anode is connected to the positive terminal (usually labeled as "+" or "Anode") of the battery or power supply. This is because oxidation occurs at the anode, which requires the flow of electrons from the anode to the external circuit.
Conversely, the cathode should be connected to the negative terminal (usually labeled as "-" or "Cathode") of the battery or power supply. Reduction occurs at the cathode, and it requires a supply of electrons from the external circuit to reduce the metal ions and deposit them onto the cathode surface.
Therefore, when setting up the terminals of the voltage source in an electroplating system, you should attach the cathode to the negative terminal of the battery.