Overpotential (chemistry)

The electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H₂O) into its constituent elements, oxygen (O₂) and hydrogen (H₂), by passing an electric current through it. At the cathode, two water molecules are reduced to form hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions. At the anode, two water molecules are oxidized to form oxygen gas, protons, and electrons.

Electrochemical potential is fundamental to life, driving processes across cell membranes. Ion pumps actively create concentration gradients, while the selective permeability of ion channels establishes an electrical potential (membrane potential). The resulting electrochemical gradient dictates the passive flow of ions, which is crucial for nerve signaling (action potentials), muscle contraction, and cellular energy production (ATP synthesis) in mitochondria.

This law states that the mass of a substance altered at an electrode during electrolysis is directly proportional to the quantity of electricity transferred. The relationship is expressed by the formula \(m = \frac{Q}{F} \frac{M}{z}\), where m is mass, Q is total electric charge, F is the Faraday constant, M is molar mass, and z is the valence number of ions of the substance.

Cellular respiration is a series of redox reactions where organic molecules, like glucose, are oxidized to release energy. Glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) is oxidized to \(CO_2\), while oxygen (\(O_2\)) is reduced to water (\(H_2O\)). This process transfers electrons through an electron transport chain, creating a proton gradient that drives the synthesis of ATP, the cell's primary energy currency.

Biomimicry is an innovation approach that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies. The core idea is that nature, through 3.8 billion years of evolution, has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. It involves observing and learning from the designs and processes of organisms and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs.