How does electric current get generated in a fuel cell?

A fuel cell generates electric current primarily through a chemical reaction that occurs when hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to its electrodes. In this process, hydrogen acts as a fuel and is oxidized at the anode, where it loses electrons and produces protons (hydrogen ions). This loss of electrons is what generates an electric current.

The produced electrons then flow through an external circuit, providing electrical energy before they recombine with the protons and oxygen at the cathode side of the fuel cell to form water, which is the main byproduct. This electron flow is essential for current generation because it is the movement of these electrons through the circuit that constitutes electric current.

While ion movement through the solid electrolyte is fundamental for maintaining the reaction and balancing charge within the fuel cell, the actual generation of electrical current directly relates to the electrons produced from the hydrogen oxidation process. Consequently, the correct choice highlights the pivotal role of electron production as the mechanism by which electric current is generated in a fuel cell.