BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) Practice Test

Electrolysis is defined as the process that involves the breakdown of substances using electricity. During electrolysis, an electric current is passed through a substance that is either molten or in solution, causing chemical changes to occur. This often leads to the separation of elements from their compounds, such as breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.

The other options describe different chemical processes that do not involve the application of electrical energy to induce reactions or changes. The creation of compounds without electricity relates to standard chemical reactions, while the neutralization of acids with bases describes an acid-base reaction that occurs through a direct chemical interaction without electricity. The extraction of metal from solid ores generally refers to processes like smelting, which may involve heat but not the direct use of electric current for breaking down ore into its elemental metal form. Therefore, the description of electrolysis as the breakdown of substances using electricity aligns perfectly with the fundamental principles of this process.