page_title: Anode
section_title: Battery or galvanic cell anode
hierarchical_section_title: Anode / Battery or galvanic cell anode
caption_attribution_description: English: During discharging a secondary batterie, the positive electrode is an cathode and the negative is an anode. On the other hand during charging, the positive electrode is a anode and the negative is a cathode.
context_page_description: An anode is an electrode through which the conventional current enters into a polarized electrical device. This contrasts with a cathode, an electrode through which conventional current leaves an electrical device. A common mnemonic is ACID, for "anode current into device". The direction of conventional current in a circuit is opposite to the direction of electron flow, so electrons flow out the anode of a galvanic cell, into the outside circuit. In both a galvanic cell and an electrolytic cell, the anode is the electrode at which the oxidation reaction occurs.
  In an electrolytic cell, the anode is the wire or plate having excess positive charge. Consequently, anions will tend to move towards the anode where they can undergo oxidation.
  Historically, the anode has also been known as the zincode.
context_section_description: In a battery or galvanic cell, the anode is the negative electrode from which electrons flow out towards the external part of the circuit. Internally the positively charged cations are flowing away from the anode (even though it is negative and therefore would be expected to attract them, this is due to electrode potential relative to the electrolyte solution being different for the anode and cathode metal/electrolyte systems); but, external to the cell in the circuit, electrons are being pushed out through the negative contact and thus through the circuit by the voltage potential as would be expected. Note: in a galvanic cell, contrary to what occurs in an electrolytic cell, no anions flow to the anode, the internal current being entirely accounted for by the cations flowing away from it (cf drawing).
  In the United States, many battery manufacturers regard the positive electrode as the anode, particularly in their technical literature.  Though technically incorrect, it does resolve the problem of which electrode is the anode in a secondary (or rechargeable) cell.  Using the traditional definition, the anode switches ends between charge and discharge cycles.
caption: Positive and negative electrode vs. anode and cathode for a secondary battery
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