Concept:Electroplating is an electrolytic process in which the metal to be plated is used as the cathode, and the pure plating metal is used as the anode.
Explanation:To electroplate a spoon with silver, the spoon must be connected to the negative terminal of a direct current supply, so the spoon becomes the cathode.
A pure silver rod is connected to the positive terminal, making the silver rod the anode.
The electrolyte should contain silver ions, such as silver trioxonitrate(V) solution,
AgNO3 solution.
During electrolysis, the silver anode dissolves into the solution, while silver ions are reduced and deposited as a solid layer on the spoon.
Thus, the anode must be a silver rod, and the cathode must be the spoon.
Answer:A. The anode is a silver rod and the cathode is the spoon.