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.
Electrolysis is like using electricity as a molecular crowbar to break apart compounds that would rather stay together! It's how we get pure aluminum from ore and how hydrogen fuel is produced from water.
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