Chemistry Handout 14 REF #: 014

Quantitative Electrolysis
Faraday’s laws of electrolysis are concerned with the quantity of an element, measured in moles, formed during
electrolysis.

First Law- States that the mass of a substance produced at, or dissolved from an electrode during electrolysis is
directly proportional to the quantity of electricity passing through the electrolyte.

The quantity of electricity is measured in Coulombs (C) and depends on:

- The length of time, measured in seconds, that a steady current is flowing through the electrolyte.
- The size of that steady current- measured in Amperes (A).

And 96,500 C = 1 faraday

1 mole of electrons (6.02 x 1023) = 1 faraday

96, 500 C mol-1 is called the Faraday constant.

When a faraday of electricity or 96500 C of electricity have flowed through a circuit, one mole of electrons or 6.02
x 1023 electrons have flowed through that circuit.

A- - e-  A C+ + e-  C

1 mole 1 mole 1 mole 1 mole 1 mole 1 mole

One mole of electrons is needed to discharge one mole of an ion with a single charge, hence, one faraday is the
quantity of electricity required to discharge one mole of an ion with a single charge.

Questions

1. What quantity of charged in C, is transferred when 0.5 A of current flows for 5 seconds?
2. How much current is needed to transfer 96500 C of electricity in 2 minutes?
3. How long would it take for 50000 C of electricity to flow past a certain point at a current of 1200 A?
4. Calculate the quantity of electricity in C obtained from 2 moles of electrons.
5. Calculate the number of moles of electrons obtained from 250 C of electricity.

Second Law- The number of faradays required to discharge one mole of an ion at an electrode is equal to the size
of the charge on the ion.

Therefore:

- 1 faraday is required to discharge one mole of an ion with a single charge. E.g Na +

- 2 faradays are required to discharge one mole of an ion with a double charge. E.g Cu 2+

- 3 faradays are required to discharge one mole of an ion with a triple charge. E.g Al 3+
Chemistry Handout 14 REF #: 014

Questions

1. Four faradays of electricity are passed through molten sodium chloride. How much chlorine gas (mass and volume)
at r.t.p will be formed at the anode?
2. During the electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution, if 0.5 faraday is used, what mass of copper will be deposited
at the cathode?
3. Calculate the number of moles of copper metal that can be produced by electrolysis of molten copper sulphate
using 500 C of electricity.
4. What quantity of electricity is required to produce 5.4 g of aluminum during electrolysis of molten aluminum oxide?
5. What quantity of electricity is required to produce 9.6 g of oxygen during electrolysis of molten aluminum oxide?
6. During the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride, if 5 A of current flows for 32 minutes and 10 s, what mass of
chlorine will be produced?
7. A current of 10 A is allowed to flow through molten aluminum oxide for 5 hours. What mass of aluminum is
deposited at the cathode?
8. A current of 13.4 A was used for 0.5 hours. Calculate the mass of bromine produced. 1 F = 96,500 C. A r of Br2 = 160.
9. Dilute sulphuric acid is electrolyzed using platinum electrodes. If a current of 2.5 A flows for 35 minutes and 44 s,
what mass and volume of oxygen, measured at s.t.p will be formed at the anode.
10. Some dilute sulphuric is electrolyzed using platinum electrodes. At the cathode 8 g of hydrogen are formed. How
much oxygen will be released at the anode?
Mole Concept

1. Hydrogen and chlorine combine in the presence of sunlight to form hydrogen chloride gas.
a) Write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction.
b) Indicate, by means of calculations, which of the following statements or deductions can be made from the equation.
i) 1 mol hydrogen gas will react with 0.5 mole chlorine gas to form 1 mole hydrogen chloride
ii) At r.t.p 24 dm3 of hydrogen gas will react with 24 dm 3 chlorine gas to form 24 dm3 of hydrogen chloride gas.
iii) At r.t.p 12 dm3 of hydrogen gas will react with 24 dm 3 chlorine gas to form 24 dm3 of hydrogen chloride gas.
iv) 3 x 1023 molecules of hydrogen will react with 12 dm 3 of chlorine gas to form 1 mole of hydrogen chloride gas.
v) When equal volumes of hydrogen and chlorine react, the volume of hydrogen chloride gas formed is equivalent to the
sum of the volumes of hydrogen and chlorine which reacted.
vi) 1 mol hydrogen chloride has the same number of molecules a there are hydrogen molecules in 2 g of hydrogen gas.

Acids, Bases and Salts

1. A ________ taste is a characteristic property of all acids in aqueous solution.

2. Acids react with some metals to produce _________ gas.
3. Because aqueous acid solutions conduct electricity, they are identified as electrolytes.
4. Acids react with bases to produce a ________ and water. Acids turn _______ different colours.
5. Bases tend to taste _______ and feel ________.
6. Like acids, aqueous basic solutions conduct electricity and are identified as _____________.
7. Binary acids consists of _______ elements, the first being __________.
8. Salts are compounds that dissociate in aqueous solutions releasing neither ___________ nor __________ ions.
9. Using suitable examples, distinguish between:
i) Strong acids and weak acids
ii)Acidic oxides, basic oxides and amphoteric oxides.
10. What is meant by the term “acid anhydride”?
Chemistry Handout 14 REF #: 014