Anode
In electroplating, the parts to be plated are connected to the negative (cathode) pole of a direct current power source, but completing the circuit requires the use of anodes (the positive pole of the circuit).
The power supply pumps electrons from the parts (cathode) to the anode through copper wiring or bus bar, so the cathode becomes negatively charged and the anode positively charged.
What usually* happens next is that this causes the metal on the surface of the anode to be converted from its neutral metallic state into positively charged ions which dissolve into the plating solution. Due to both agitation of the solution, and the negative charge of the cathode, these positively charged ions move towards the parts.
The cathode (the parts you are plating) ia negatively charged and restore those positively charged ions to neutral metal atoms which are deposited onto the parts.
* Note: In certain applications, anodes which do not dissolve (insoluble anodes / dimensionally stable anodes) are used, and the metal to be plated is supplied by additions of solution to the plating tank. This may be because technical issues preventing dissolution (chrome for example) or practical considerations (even sheiks can't afford plating tanks full of gold anodes).
