A process that uses electrical energy to drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction, typically involving the decomposition of compounds into their constituent elements. It requires an electrolyte solution and electrodes.
From Greek 'electron' (amber, source of electricity) and 'lysis' (loosening or dissolution), coined by Michael Faraday in the 1830s. The term literally means 'loosening by electricity' as compounds are broken apart by electrical current.
Try Another Word