07/07/2026
🧪 Electrochemistry doesn't begin with electrodes—it begins with everyday life.
After more than 25 years of teaching Chemistry, I've found that students learn electrochemistry best when they experience it before they define it.
Instead of starting with oxidation, reduction, anodes, and cathodes, I start with questions they can relate to:
🔋 Why won't a car start when the battery is flat? 📱 Why does a phone battery lose its charge over time? 🚪 Why do school gates rust? ✨ How is jewellery or chrome plating made?
These familiar scenarios spark curiosity and provide the perfect context for introducing electrochemical cells, redox reactions, corrosion, and electrolysis.
When students see Chemistry in the world around them, they stop memorising concepts and start understanding them.
Teaching isn't just about delivering content—it's about making learning meaningful.
I'd love to hear from fellow GCSE and A-level Chemistry teachers: What real-life context do you use to introduce electrochemistry in your classroom?