Concept:An electrolytic cell uses an external power supply to drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction by forcing electrons in a single, specific direction.
Solution:- Because specific half-reactions must occur at designated electrodes (oxidation at the anode, reduction at the cathode), the polarity of the electrodes must remain strictly constant.
- This requires a Direct Current (DC) source, like a standard battery.
- If an Alternating Current (AC) source were used, the polarity of the electrodes would rapidly switch back and forth (e.g., 50 times a second), causing the redox reactions to constantly reverse themselves and resulting in zero net electrolysis.
Why other options are incorrect:Options A, B, and D are fundamental, true characteristics of all electrochemical cells.
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