What is the term for electrical contact between the anode and the cathode?

Electrolysis refers to the process of using an electric current to drive a chemical reaction, particularly the decomposition of a substance in an electrolyte. This process specifically involves the movement of ions between the anode and the cathode when an electric current is passed through a solution or molten substance, allowing the transfer of electric charge.

When an electric current is applied, cations migrate toward the cathode (the electrode where reduction occurs) and anions move toward the anode (the electrode where oxidation occurs). This movement creates electrical contact, as charge carriers are transferred through the electrolyte solution, making electrolysis the correct term to describe the electrical contact between the anode and the cathode during this process.

In contrast, the other options refer to different concepts: conductivity pertains to the ability of a material to conduct electric current, electromagnetism involves the interactions between electrically charged particles and magnetic fields, and ionic bonds describe the electrostatic forces that hold ions together in a compound, which is not directly related to electrical contact in the context of anode and cathode.