Electrolytic Cell Charge = current x time

ELECTROLYTIC CELLS Q = I x t

 Use a source of electrical energy to drive 1 C = 1A x 1s

nonspontaneous redox reactions to higher energy
Faraday constant: 1 mole e- = 96, 485C or 96,500 C
 Use to drive redox reactions that do not occur of
their own accord Problem 1

 Used to plate precious metals into jewelry, purify
metals, obtain active metals from their compounds
 Voltaic (galvanic) cell – reaction is spontaneous and
generates electrical current.
An electrolysis cell that deposits gold from Au + (aq)
operates for 15.0 minutes at a current of 2.30A. What
mass of gold is deposited.
Au+ (aq) + e- → Au(s)

 Electrolytic – non-spontaneous reaction occurs due Q = 2.3 C x 15.0 min x 60 s = 2070C

to passage of current from external power source. s 1 min
E.g. charging of batteries.
2070C x 1mol e- x 1mol Au x 197 g = 4.23 g Au
Commercial Electrolytic Processes
96, 500C 1 mol e- 1 mol
• Production of aluminum
• Purification of metals Example 2
• Metal plating
• Electrolysis of sodium chloride Consider molten CaCl2 in an electrolytic cell. Suppose a
• Production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide current of 0.452 A is passed through the cell for 1.5
hours. How much product will be formed at the anode
Electrolysis and at the cathode?

• A process that forces a current through a cell to Anode: 2Cl-(l) → Cl2(g) + 2 e-

produce a chemical change for which the cell
potential is negative. Cathode: Ca2+(l) + 2e- → Ca (l)

Faraday Redox: Ca2+(l) + 2Cl-(l) → Ca (l) + Cl2(g)

• Developed quantitative treatment of electrolysis 1 C = 1A x 1s

• Observed that the mass of the product formed or 0.452 C x 1.5 hours x 3600 s = 2,440.80 C
reactant consumed at an electrode is proportional
s 1 hour
to both the amount of electricity transferred at the
electrode and the molar mass of the substance in Anode: 2Cl-(l) → Cl2(g) + 2 e-
question
2,440.80 C x 1 mol e- x 1 mol Cl2 x 70.90 g
Electrolysis
96,500C 2 e- 1 mol
• Amperes (A) – current that pass through an
electrolytic cell in a given period of time = 0.896 g Cl2

• Coulombs (C) – the quantity of electrical charge

passing any point in the circuit in 1 second when
the current is 1 Ampere
Cathode: Ca2+(l) + 2e- → Ca (l) Q = I x t

2,440.80 C x 1 mol e- x 1 mol Ca x 40.0 g t = Q/ I = 5.85 x 103 C

96,500C 2 1 mol 2.00C s-1

= 0.507 g Ca t = 2927 s = 48.8 min

Problem 3

A current of 1.26 A is passed through an electrolytic cell

containing a dilute sulfuric acid solution for 7.44 hours.
Calculate the volume of gases at STP.

Anode: 2 H2O(l) → O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4e-

Cathode: 4H+(aq) + 4e- → 2 H2 (g)

Redox: 2 H2O(l) → 2 H2 (g) + O2(g)

1.26 C x 7.44 hours x 3600 s = 33,747.84 C

s 1 hour

Anode: 2 H2O(l) → O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4e-

33,747.84 C x 1 mol e- x 1 mol O2 x 22.4 L =

96,500 C 4 mol e- 1mol O 2

= 1.96 L

Cathode: 4H+(aq) + 4e- → 2 H2 (g)

33,747.84 C x 1 mol e- x 2 mol H2 x 22.4 L =

96,500 C 4 mol e- 1molH2

=3.92 L

Problem 4

• Suppose that you have a part that requires a tin

coating. You have calculated that you need to
deposit 3.60g of tin to achieve an adequate
coating. If your electrolysis cell using Sn2+ runs
at 2.00A, how long must you operate the cell to
obtain the desired coating.

Sn2+(aq) + 2e- → Sn(s)

3.60g x 1 mol Sn x 2 mol e- x 96,500C

118.7 g Sn 1mol Sn 1 mol e-

= 5.85 x 103 C