Anode and Cathode confusion?

A cathode gives off electrons and an anode collects electrons inside the device. In a battery the anode becomes the most negative because the collected negative electrons become available to the external circuit. From outside of the battery the electrons flow from the negative anode through the circuit to the positive cathode. Inside the battery the electrons leave the cathode into the ionic reactions of the battery but wind up flowing to the anode. The anode is negative and the cathode is positive. To charge a battery the flow direction but not the polarity is reversed. This is done by using a higher charge voltage than the batteries natural voltage, forcing the current in the opposite direction.

In an electronic device such a s vacuum tube, the cathode inside the device also gives off electrons and the anode collects them. But, the flow of current does not occur as it does in a battery until a voltage is placed across the device to force the current flow. To make the electrons flow to the anode, it is made positive with respect to the cathode. The anode would not naturally be positive without an external voltage making it so. I'm sure this is all clear as mud!

Rumour has it that before someone discovered electerons some 'physicist' decided which way 'charge' flowed in his 'battery' so it's been f***ed up since then.

By slight of hand some other 'physicist' used the Greek method and demonstrated that, in order to be 'classically' correct, things should really be the other way around but the public was already buying Varta.

I suppose the modern poquensity is Viagra.

Some time later 'Chemists' woke up to the dichotomy involved in the original discovery which seemed to be at odds with some other stuff that 'Physicists' were talking about.

Problem is that a 'chemist' will be spoon fed for all of his life.

A 'physicist' will, eventually, realise that all he has been taught is a theory and a method......

DNA

Propensity?[1]

And sometimes good metaphysicists figure out that there is more to Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than was ever dreamt of in your philosophy.

Cheers! Rich

There are two types of Metaphysicists. Those who sell machines for perfect abs and those who buy them.

DNA

Hey, I never metaphysicist I didn't like. ;-)

Cheers! Rich