In which component do ions move toward their attracting electrode in a galvanic setup?

• A. Anode
• B. Salt bridge
• C. Cathode
• D. Electrolyte

Answer: (B)

Charge balance between the two half-cells is what keeps a galvanic cell operating. As electrons flow through the external circuit from the anode to the cathode, the solutions in each half-cell would quickly become charged if there weren’t a way to offset that buildup. The salt bridge provides a path for ions to move between the half-cells, carrying charge to balance the changes caused by oxidation at one electrode and reduction at the other. Specifically, ions in the salt bridge migrate to the side that needs charge compensation: anions move toward the side where positive charge is building up and cations move toward the side where positive charge is being removed by reduction. This ion movement through the salt bridge maintains electroneutrality and allows the current to continue. The electrodes themselves are where oxidation and reduction occur, and the electrolyte solutions are the regions where ions move locally, but the salt bridge is the component that directly enables the necessary cross-cell ion flow to sustain the reaction.