Electrolysis Calculator

Electrolysis is a chemical process that uses electric current to drive non-spontaneous chemical reactions. It involves passing current through molten salts or ionic solutions to force ions to undergo oxidation at the anode or reduction at the cathode.

Faraday's law states that the amount of substance produced or consumed during electrolysis is directly proportional to the quantity of electric charge passed through the solution. The fundamental equations are Q = I × t and moles = Q / (n × F), where F is Faraday's constant (96,485 C/mol).

To calculate mass, first find the moles of product using moles = Q / (n × F), then multiply by the molar mass: mass = moles × M. You'll need to know the number of electrons transferred per mole (n) and the molar mass of your product.

Common values include: Ag⁺ → Ag (n=1), Cu²⁺ → Cu (n=2), Al³⁺ → Al (n=3), 2H⁺ → H₂ (n=2), and 2Cl⁻ → Cl₂ (n=2). This depends on the oxidation state change of the ion being reduced or oxidized.

Current efficiency is the percentage of electric current that actually contributes to the desired electrochemical reaction. It's often less than 100% due to side reactions or other losses. A 90% efficiency means only 90% of the charge produces the target product.

For water electrolysis (2H₂O → 2H₂ + O₂), use n=2 for hydrogen production and n=4 for oxygen production. At the cathode: 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ → H₂, and at the anode: 2H₂O → O₂ + 4H⁺ + 4e⁻.

Always convert time to seconds for calculations. Common conversions: 1 minute = 60 seconds, 1 hour = 3600 seconds, 1 day = 86,400 seconds. The calculator uses seconds as the base unit for accuracy.

Faraday's constant (F = 96,485 C/mol) represents the electric charge carried by one mole of electrons. It's the key conversion factor between electric charge and chemical amount in electrochemical calculations.