All rights reserved. The tutorial contains animations to help you relate theory to observations. Electrolysis is the decomposition of ionic compounds by electricity . A battery pushes electrons to the negative electrode called the cathode . Electrons do not flow inside molten salts, the electric current is carried by ions .
Negative ions move towards the opposite electrode.
The flow of ions completes the electric circuit. Free moving ions are called electrolytes . At the cathode metals are produced by reduction. At the anode oxidation of non-metals. Electrons are lost.