This animation shows the process of electroplating - in particular the plating of copper onto another metal. The metal to be plated is placed in a solution of copper sulphate, along with a piece of copper. Both metals are connected to a DC voltage; copper to the + electrode (cathode) and the other metal to the - electrode (anode).

At the cathode, the copper is oxidised into copper ions as electrons are transferred to the anode. There, copper ions from the solution are reduced to copper atoms & atom by atom build up on the metal.