What is one difference btw a voltaic cell and an electrolytic cell?

Question

In electrolytic cells....

A. a nonspontaneous reaction is forced to occur

B. oxidation occurs at the cathode

C. electrons flow toward the anode

D. an electric current is produced by a chemical reaction

E. O2 gas is produced at the cathode

Answer 1

Think about what an electrolytic cell is (example, electrolysis of molten sodium chloride to make sodium metal and chlorine gas), and that will give you your answer.

The earlier answer is wrong.

Answer 2

B. Oxidation always occurs at the anode.

Answer 3

In a voltaic cell we have the spontaneous generation of a potential difference between the electrodes.  An electrolytic cell is nonspontaneous and requires an external voltage to make the reaction go.

Therefore A looks like a correct answer.

For either type of cell oxidation occurs at the anode and reduction at the cathode, so we can eliminate B.  D can also be eliminated for an electrolytic cell.  We can eliminate E since oxygen doesn't have to be one the products.

In an electrolytic cell electrons flow from the battery to the cathode where ions in solution are reduced, so it can't be C.

A it is.