Electroquímico

Electroquímico refers to phenomena or processes that involve both electricity and chemistry. It is the branch of chemistry that studies the relationship between electrical energy and chemical change. Electrochemical processes occur in electrochemical cells, which are devices that can generate electrical energy from spontaneous chemical reactions or use electrical energy to drive non-spontaneous chemical reactions.

The fundamental principle behind electrochemistry is the transfer of electrons. Redox reactions, which involve the transfer of electrons from one species to another, are central to electrochemical processes. Oxidation is the loss of electrons, and reduction is the gain of electrons. These reactions can be harnessed to create electricity or to cause chemical transformations.

Common examples of electrochemical applications include batteries, which store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy, and fuel cells, which convert chemical energy from a fuel into electricity. Electrolysis, on the other hand, uses electrical energy to drive non-spontaneous chemical reactions, such as the purification of metals or the production of chemicals like chlorine. Electroplating, the process of coating a metal object with a thin layer of another metal using an electric current, is another important electrochemical technique. The study of electroquímico is crucial for understanding and developing technologies related to energy storage, energy conversion, and chemical synthesis.