Topic Notes: Electrolysis

Electrolysis is where electricity stops being just a flow of electrons and becomes a tool for changing matter itself. By forcing electrical energy into a substance, we can break chemical bonds, split compounds apart, and create elements that would never form on their own. It’s the process that lets us extract pure metals from ores, coat jewellery in gold, and even produce the hydrogen that powers clean energy technologies. In an electrolytic cell, electricity doesn’t just pass through a system — it drives the chemistry forward.