{"id":3031,"date":"2025-05-22T20:08:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T14:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/?p=3031"},"modified":"2025-05-22T20:08:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T14:38:49","slug":"cathode-is-a-__-class-12-physics-cbse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/cathode-is-a-__-class-12-physics-cbse\/","title":{"rendered":"Cathode is a __"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Correct answer:<\/strong> B. Cathode is a negatively charged electrode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an electrochemical cell, the cathode is a negatively charged electrode. This is where reduction reactions occur, meaning that positively charged ions in the electrolyte move towards the cathode to gain electrons. Understanding the nature of electrodes like the cathode is crucial for Class 12 Physics students, especially when dealing with topics such as electrolysis, galvanic cells, and electric circuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-cathode-is-a-negatively-charged-electrode\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Cathode is a Negatively Charged Electrode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In electrolytic cells, which are powered by an external voltage source, the cathode is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply. This makes it rich in electrons. As a result, cations (positively charged ions) in the electrolyte are attracted to the cathode, where they gain electrons (undergo reduction). For example, in the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride, Na\u207a ions migrate to the cathode and get reduced to sodium metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, in galvanic (voltaic) cells, which generate electricity through spontaneous chemical reactions, it is still the site of reduction, but it is positively charged. This often confuses students. The key is to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cathode = site of reduction (gain of electrons)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anode = site of oxidation (loss of electrons)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The charge of the cathode depends on the type of cell: negative in electrolytic cells, positive in galvanic cells.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-remember\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Remember?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A handy mnemonic is <strong>&#8220;Red Cat&#8221; \u2014 Reduction at Cathode<\/strong>. No matter what type of electrochemical cell you&#8217;re studying, reduction always happens at the cathode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-not-the-other-options\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Not the Other Options?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s break down the incorrect choices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option A. Positively charged electrode \u2013 This describes the anode in an electrolytic cell, not the cathode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option C. A positively charged ion formed in the electrolyte \u2013 That\u2019s a cation, not the cathode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option D. A negatively charged ion formed in the electrolyte \u2013 That\u2019s an anion, not the cathode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, next time you see the question &#8220;Cathode is a __?&#8221;, remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is the negatively charged electrode in an electrolytic cell.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is where reduction (gain of electrons) always happens.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And it plays a key role in the movement and transformation of ions during electrical reactions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay clear on the definitions, and you will ace those NEET or board exam questions with ease!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-10036f8bd31f70cdf024598498ebbb78\"><strong>Common Doubts in Physics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/differentiate-between-rectilinear-motion-and-curvilinear-motion\/\"><strong>Differentiate between Rectilinear Motion and Curvilinear Motion<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/a-concave-lens-_____-rays-of-light-whereas-convex-lens-______-rays-of-light\/\"><strong>A Concave Lens__ Rays of Light, whereas Convex Lens __ Rays of Light<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/what-is-the-si-unit-of-mutual-inductance\/\"><strong>What is the SI Unit of Mutual Inductance?<\/strong><\/a><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/the-si-unit-of-potential-difference-is\/\"><strong>The SI Unit of Potential Difference is__<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/state-the-laws-of-reflection-of-light\/\"><strong>State the Laws of Reflection of Light<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/questions-answers\/differentiate-between-regular-and-irregular-reflection\/\"><strong>Differentiate between Regular and Irregular Reflection<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Correct answer: B. Cathode is a negatively charged electrode. In an electrochemical cell, the cathode is a negatively&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":3033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[44,45],"class_list":{"0":"post-3031","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-physics","8":"category-science","9":"tag-cathode","10":"tag-physics"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cathode is a __<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cathode is a negatively charged electrode. 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