Topic: Electrolysis

Electrolysis uses electrical energy to drive a nonspontaneous redox reaction, the opposite of a voltaic cell. An electrolytic cell requires a power source, where the anode is positive and the cathode is negative (reversed polarity from voltaic). The process is used to split molten salts or aqueous solutions. For aqueous solutions, water's reduction/oxidation potential must be considered, as it often reacts instead of the solute ions.