galvano-, galvan- +
(Named after the Italian physician and physicist who investigated the nature and effects of what he conceived to be electricity in animal tissue; who in 1762 discovered and first described voltaic electricity; electric currents; and primarily, direct electrical current.)
2. A process in which the passage of an electric current through an electrolytic solution or other suitable medium produces a chemical reaction; such as, that which occurs in a battery.
3. The process of splitting water into its components, hydrogen, and oxygen; by means of an electrical current.
4. Any process in which the passage of an electric current through a solution or medium produces a chemical reaction.
5. The chemical decomposition of a substance by the reactions that occur to its constituent ions at electrodes when an electric current is passed through the molten substance or, more often, through a solution of the substance.
6. The production of chemical changes by passing electric current from an electrode to an electrolyte, or the reverse of such action.
It is also used to separate isotopes, as in the concentration of deuterium, or heavy water, by the electrolysis of ordinary water.
7. One application of electrolysis is the permanent removal of body hair, including the hair roots, with an electronic instrument.Although electrolysis is promoted as a permanent process, many people find that hair does grow back, although slowly, after electrolysis.
Electrolysis may be done by a dermatologist, by an electrolysis technician, or by a facial technologist or esthetician.
Since electric shocks made living muscles twitch, why not dead ones, too?
Since Benjamin Franklin had shown that lightning was electrical in nature, Galvani wondered whether muscles would twitch if exposed to a thunderstorm; so, he placed frog muscles on brass hooks outside a window so they rested against an iron latticework.
The muscles did indeed twitch during the thunderstorm, but they also twitched in the absence of it. In fact, they twitched whenever they made simultaneous contact with two different metals.
Apparently, electricity was involved, but where did it come from, the metals or the muscles?
Galvani decided it was the muscles, and he spoke of animal electricity. In this, he was mistaken, but electricity was involved with nerve and muscle action just the same.
Additional info about Luigi Galvani
Galvani is famous for the discovery of animal electricity, inspired by his observation that dead frogs suffered convulsions when fixed to an iron fence to dry. He then showed that paroxysms followed if a frog was part of a circuit involving metals, wrongly believing the current source to be in the material of muscles and nerves.
2. Of or relating to electricity flowing as a result of chemical activity.
3. Relating to electricity generated by a chemical reaction.
A galvanic cell is an electric cell; such as, found in household and car batt4ries, that makes use of galvanic reactions to act as a power source.
2. A galvanic cell, or two or more such cells electrically connected to produce energy.
2. Electrochemical corrosion associated with the current in a galvanic cell, caused by dissimilar metals in an electrolyte because of the difference in potential (emf) of the two metals.
The abbreviation emf refers to "electromotive force" or the cell voltage of a galvanic cell measured when there is no current flowing through the cell.
In other words, the equilibrium electrode potential difference between the two electrodes of the cell.
2. A pair of unlike substances; such as, metals, which generate a voltage when brought in contact with an electrolyte.
3. Two dissimilar conductors in contact or in the same electrolytic solution, resulting in a difference of potential between them.
2. A steady direct current; especially, one that is produced chemically.
2. That branch of physics that deals with electric currents.
3. Treatment of disease by electricity.
2. In medicine, to stimulate or treat muscles or nerves with induced direct current: The therapist galvanized Jim's wrist which had been operated on to help heal the tender scar.
3. To coat metal, especially iron or steel with zinc: Next to the old house Jim could see the old bucket which someone had galvanized a long time ago and which was still quite usable!
To galvanize steel means to go through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc because rust won't attack the protective metal. For countless outdoor, marine, or industrial applications, galvanizing steel is an essential fabrication component.
The principal method of making steel resist corrosion is by alloying it with another metal, such as zinc. When steel is submerged in melted zinc, the chemical reaction permanently bonds the zinc to the steel by galvanizing it. The zinc isn't exactly a sealer, like paint, because it doesn't just coat the steel, it actually permanently becomes a part of it.
The zinc goes through a reaction with the iron molecules within the steel to form by galvanizing it. The most external layer is all zinc, but successive layers are a mixture of zinc and iron, with an interior of pure steel. These multiple layers are responsible for the amazing property of the metal to withstand corrosion-inducing circumstances, such as saltwater or moisture. Besides being inexpensive and effective, galvanizing of metal is popular because it can be recycled and reused multiple times.
2. A leader who stimulates and excites people into action.
A cross reference of word units that are related, directly and/or indirectly, with "electricity": electro-; hodo-; ion-; piezo-; -tron; volt; biomechatronics, info; mechatronics, info.
