Electochemical

Electrochemical refers to phenomena involving both electricity and chemical reactions. An electrochemical cell is a device that can generate electrical energy from spontaneous chemical reactions or use electrical energy to cause non-spontaneous chemical reactions to occur. These cells are broadly categorized into galvanic (voltaic) cells and electrolytic cells. Galvanic cells, like batteries, produce electricity through a redox reaction where oxidation occurs at the anode and reduction occurs at the cathode, with electron flow creating an electrical current. Electrolytic cells, on the other hand, use an external electrical source to drive a non-spontaneous redox reaction, a process known as electrolysis. This is used in applications such as electroplating and the production of metals like aluminum. The study of these processes is fundamental to electrochemistry, a branch of chemistry concerned with the relationship between electrical energy and chemical change. Key concepts within electrochemistry include electrode potentials, Nernst equation, and Faraday's laws of electrolysis, which quantify the relationship between the amount of substance produced or consumed and the quantity of electricity passed.