Electroplating is the coating of an object with a metal. It is done by immersing the object and a bar of the metal in a solution containing the metal ions. Electric current is then applied; the positive goes to the metal and the negative goes to the object. The metal bar dissolves in the solution and plates out on the object, forming a thin but durable coating of metal. It is often used to gold-plate objects for decoration or to stop corrosion. Normally the metal becomes fragile, and is only used for display.