Cathode
Cathode
Cathode (/ˈkæθoʊd/), from the Greek word kathodos meaning "way down", is the electrode from which a conventional current leaves a polarized electrical device.
Etymology
The term cathode comes from the Greek word kathodos (κάθοδος), which means "way down" or "descent". The word was first used in the field of physics by Michael Faraday in 1834.
Definition
In a polarized electrical device, the cathode is the electrode from which a conventional current leaves. This is in contrast to an anode, which is the electrode where the conventional current enters an electrical device. The direction of conventional current in a circuit is opposite to the direction of electron flow, so electrons flow out the anode into the outside circuit. In a device that consumes electricity, the cathode is the negative terminal, but in a device that provides electricity, like a discharging battery, the cathode is the positive terminal.
Related Terms
- Anode: The electrode where the conventional current enters an electrical device.
- Electrode: A conductor through which electricity enters or leaves an object, substance, or region.
- Electron: A subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge.
- Current: The flow of electricity which results from the ordered directional movement of electrically charged particles.
- Battery: A device that produces electricity from a chemical reaction.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cathode
- Wikipedia's article - Cathode
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