The terms describe electrically charged entities. One, bearing a negative charge, migrates toward the anode in an electrolytic cell. Table salt (sodium chloride) dissolved in water provides an illustrative example; the chloride portion carries this negative charge. Conversely, the other, characterized by a positive charge, moves toward the cathode under similar conditions. Again, using the sodium chloride example, the sodium portion assumes this positive charge.
These charged entities play vital roles in various scientific and industrial applications. Historically, their understanding has been crucial in the development of electrochemistry, batteries, and numerous industrial processes. Their behavior governs ion exchange resins used in water purification, impacts drug delivery mechanisms in pharmaceutical science, and influences the stability of colloidal dispersions in materials science.
