Galvanolysis is a chemical process involving a reaction between a metal and an electrolyte. The word is spelled with the prefix "galvano-" to indicate a connection to electricity, while the suffix "-lysis" signals a decomposition or breakdown of the metal. The IPA phonetic transcription for galvanolysis is /ɡælˌvænəˈlɪsɪs/, with emphasis on the second syllable. This word may not be commonly used in everyday language, but it is important in the scientific fields of electrochemistry and metallurgy.
Galvanolysis is a chemical process that involves the degradation or decomposition of a substance caused by an electrochemical reaction. It is specifically related to the process of electrolysis, where an electric current is passed through a liquid or solution to induce a chemical change.
In galvanolysis, the electrochemical reaction displaces or removes metal ions from a solid material or metal surface, resulting in the dissolution or erosion of the material. This process occurs due to the selective oxidation or reduction of metal atoms in the presence of an electrolyte and an electrical potential difference between an anode and a cathode. Galvanolysis can be used intentionally for various purposes, such as electroplating, electrorefining, or metal removal for surface preparation.
The term "galvanolysis" combines the words "galvano," derived from "galvanic" or referring to electricity, and "lysis," meaning dissolution or decomposition. The concept of galvanolysis is often utilized in fields like material science, metallurgy, and electrochemistry for understanding and manipulating the behavior of metals and metallic compounds under electrochemical reactions.
Overall, galvanolysis plays a crucial role in electrochemical processes, where it facilitates the transformation and modification of materials by harnessing the power of electrical energy.
Electrolysis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "galvanolysis" is derived from the combination of two roots: "galvano" and "lysis".
1. "Galvano": This root is derived from "Galvani", the name of the Italian physician and physiologist Luigi Galvani. He is known for his experiments in the late 18th century, which involved the electrical stimulation of dissected animal muscles. These experiments led to the discovery of "animal electricity" and helped pave the way for the development of electrochemistry and the field of galvanism.
2. "Lysis": This root is derived from the Greek word "luō", meaning "to loosen" or "to dissolve". It is commonly used in scientific terminology to indicate a process of decomposition or breaking down.