Chemistry – Electrochemistry - Electrolysis | e-Consult

A zinc anode is used in this experiment because zinc is less reactive than copper. This difference in reactivity is crucial for the electroplating process. The anode must be oxidized to provide the copper ions needed for reduction at the cathode (the steel nail). Zinc is more readily oxidized than copper, meaning it will lose electrons more easily. This ensures that copper ions from the solution are preferentially reduced to copper metal on the steel nail, resulting in a copper coating.

The reaction occurring at the anode is oxidation of zinc. The half-equation for this reaction is: