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Electrolysis is a process where an electric current is passed through a substance to cause a chemical reaction.
During electrolysis, the substance being electrolyzed is called the electrolyte. The electrolyte can be either a molten ionic compound or an aqueous solution containing ions. When an electric current is passed through the electrolyte, the ions in the electrolyte move towards the electrodes. At the electrodes, the ions either gain or lose electrons, causing a chemical reaction to occur.
Electrolysis is related to redox reactions because it involves the transfer of electrons between the electrodes and the ions in the electrolyte. Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons between two species, where one species loses electrons (oxidation) and the other species gains electrons (reduction). In electrolysis, the species that gains electrons is reduced, while the species that loses electrons is oxidized.
Electrolysis has many practical applications, such as in the production of metals, the purification of metals, and the production of chemicals. It is also used in electroplating, where a metal coating is deposited onto a surface by electrolysis. Understanding electrolysis and redox reactions is important for A-Level Biology students, as it is relevant to many areas of chemistry and biology.
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