ELECTROLYSIS

CALCULATIONS
A LOOK AT HALF -EQUATIONS

 A half equation really just tells you the number of electrons

removed or added to an ion:

 The following half-equation tells us that 1 mole of electrons is lost

from sodium metal to form1 mole of sodium ions:

Na – 1e- → Na+

 1 mole of Magnesium needs
THIS MEANS THAT
to lose 2 moles of electrons
to form 1 mole of
magnesium ion

Mg – 2e- → Mg2+ 1 mole of aluminium needs

to lose 3 moles of electrons
to form 1 mole of
Al – 3e- → Al3+ aluminium ion

Cl + 1e- →Cl- 1 mole of chlorine atoms

need to gain 1 mole of
electrons to form 1 mole of
chloride ion
 BU T S U P P O S E YO U D O N ’ T H AV E T H E
SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF MOLES?

In essence,electrons
Let’s assume that for
thetonumber of
 Since the ratio between moles of
moles of sodium metal is 1:1,
sodium metal, only
moles of
half the number of
electrons is
 then 0.5 moles of directly
electrons should

proportional to the number

+
supply 0.5 moles of Na ions
moles of electrons

of ions in electrolysis and

are supplied.

vice-versa
 H OW D O YO U K N OW T H E A M O U N T
O F E L E C T RO N S I N T H E C E L L ?

It has been determined that 1 mole of

electrons has a charge of 96,500 Coloumbs
Charge(C).
of 1 mole of electrons = 96,500 C = 1F
This number of Coulombic charge is
equal to 1 Faraday (F)
 WHAT IS CURRENT?

The word, current, refers to the rate of

Therefore,
flow of electricity
amps = Coulombs/second
One ampere (amp) and
is equal to a rate of
Coulombs
flow of charge of= 1amps
Coulomb* seconds
every second
 WHAT IS CURRENT?
This can be denoted by the following equation:

Q=IxT
Where
Q = quantity of charge in coloumbs
I = current in Amps
T = time in seconds
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN

Time
Number of Amount of current Mass of
moles of electric passed product at
electrons current through the electrodes
system
WORKED EXAMPLES
 EXAMPLE 1

Calculate the mass of copper produced

in 1.5 hours by the electrolysis of
molten CuCl2 if the electrical current is
12.3 Amps
 STEP 1: DETERMINE CHARGE

Since

the charge in Couloumbs = amps * seconds or

Q = 12.3 amps * 1.5 hours * 60 min/hour * 60 sec/min
Q=IxT
Q = 6.64 x 104 C
 STEP 2:DETERMINE NUMBER
O F E L E C T RO N S

Therefore, 6.64 x 104 Coulombs total pass into the reduction cell
(cathode) during the reaction.

Since 96,500 C is the charge for 1 mole of e-,

96,500 C = 1 mole of e-
1C = (1/ 96,500) mole of e-
6.64 x 104 C = 6.64 x 104 C * (1 mole e- / 96,500C)
= 0.688 moles e-
 STEP 3:DETERMINE NUMBER OF
M O L E S O F I O N / M E TA L P RO D U C E D

How many moles of Cu can be reduced with 0.688 moles of

electrons?
The half-equation for this reaction is
Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu
This means that it takes
2 moles of e- to produce 1 mole of Cu or
1 mole of e- to produce 1/2 mole of Cu
Therefore
0.688 moles e- = 0.688 * (1/2) = 0.344 moles Cu
 STEP 4:DETERMINE MASS OF
I O N / M E TA L P RO D U C E D

Finally, how many grams of Copper are there per mole?

The relative atomic mass of copper, Ar = 63.5 g/mole

This means that
1 mole of Cu has a mass of 63.5 g
Therefore
0.344 moles of Cu = 0.344 * 63.5 = 21.8 g
 EXAMPLE 2

In the industrial production of chlorine gas, a

current of 50,000 A was passed through a salt
solution for 1 hour. Calculate the volume of gas
which would be produced.
Take the molar volume to be 24 dm3 / mol.
 STEP 1: DETERMINE CHARGE

I = 50000 A
t =Since
3600 s

Q
the charge
=I×t
in Couloumbs = amps * seconds or
= 50000 × 3600
= 180000000
Q=IxT
= 1.8 × 108 C
 STEP 2:DETERMINE NUMBER
O F E L E C T RO N S

Therefore, 1.8 × 108 Coulombs total pass into the cell (anode) during
the reaction.

Since 96,500 C is the charge for 1 mole of e-,

96,500 C = 1 mole of e-
1C = (1/ 96,500) mole of e-
1.8 × 108 C = 1.8 × 108 C * (1 mole e- / 96,500C)
= 1,865.28 moles e-
 STEP 3:DETERMINE NUMBER OF
M O L E S O F I O N / M E TA L P RO D U C E D

How many moles of Cl2 can be produced from 1,865.28 moles of

electrons?
The half-equation for this reaction is
2Cl-(aq)→Cl2(g) + 2e-
This means that it takes
2 moles of e- for every 1 mole of Cl2(g) or
1 mole of e- for every 1/2 mole of Cl2(g)
Therefore
1,865.28 moles e- = 1,865.28 * (1/2) = 932.64 moles Cl2(g)
 S T E P 4 : D E T E R M I N E M A S S / VO L U M E
O F I O N / M E TA L / G A S P RO D U C E D

Now, assuming room temperature and pressure (RTP), (20◦C and 1

atmosphere presssure)
Molar volume of chlorine gas , Cl2(g)= 24 dm3
This means that
1 mole of Cl2(g) occupies a volume of 24 dm3
Therefore
932.64 moles Cl2(g) = 932.64 x 24 = 22, 383.36 dm3