What is an Electrode?
An electrode is anything placed into the ground that is used to provide an electrical connection to the earth. The most common electrode is the copper-clad driven rod. This rod is essentially an 8 or 10-foot long shaft of mild-steel, thinly coated with copper and driven into the earth. The process of installing an electrode would be called “earthing”. Other electrodes included concrete-encased electrodes, ground plates, water pipes, building foundations, and electrolytic rods, to name a few. Each electrode has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. In the case of the copper-clad driven rod, it is very inexpensive to purchase, but can be overly labor-intensive and time-consuming to install. It also has some poor electrical properties. On the other hand, electrolytic rods while cost prohibitive, out perform any other grounding electrode on the market today.
An electrode is a conductor through which electric current is passed. Found in variable forms, electrodes may be wires, plates, or rods. An electrode may be constructed of metal, such as copper, silver, lead, or zinc. However, an electrode may also be made of a nonmetal substance, such as carbon. An electrode passes current between a metallic part and a nonmetallic part of an electrical circuit. Most frequently, conductors that are metallic carry electrical current. In other circuits, however, current is passed through a nonmetallic conductor. In an electrochemical cell, an electrode is called either an anode or a cathode. An anode is an electrode at which current leaves the cell and oxidation takes place. For example, an anode is the positive electrode in a storage battery. A cathode is described as a negative electrode. Current enters the cell at the cathode and reduction takes place. Electrons are repelled from the cathode. When it comes to certain electric devices, like electric ba
