anode

thumb|Diagram of a zinc anode in a [[galvanic cell. Note how electrons move out of the cell, and the conventional current moves into it in the opposite direction.]]

AI overview

An anode is the electrode in a battery or galvanic cell where electrons are released and flow out into an external circuit. It matters because it's the source of electrical current that powers devices, making it a fundamental component of how batteries work.

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Commons category: Anodes

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Article

13 sections

Contents

Charge flow
Examples
Etymology
Electrolytic anode
Battery or galvanic cell anode
Vacuum tube anode
Diode anode
Sacrificial anode
Impressed current anode
Related antonym
See also
References
External links

thumb|Diagram of a zinc anode in a [[galvanic cell. Note how electrons move out of the cell, and the conventional current moves into it in the opposite direction.]]

An anode usually is an electrode of a polarized electrical device through which conventional current enters the device. This contrasts with a cathode, which is usually an electrode of the device through which conventional current leaves the device. A common mnemonic is ACID, for anode current into device. The direction of conventional current (the flow of positive charges) in a circuit is opposite to the direction of electron flow, so (negatively charged) electrons flow from the anode of a galvanic cell, into an outside or external circuit connected to the cell. For example, the end of a household battery marked with a + is the cathode (while discharging).