Faraday Electrolysis Calculator
Use Faraday's laws of electrolysis to find the mass and moles of a substance deposited from the current, time, electron count, and molar mass.
A
s
g/mol
Mass of substance liberated at the electrode
- 1
Total charge Q = I × t
2 A × 3,600 s = 7,200 C - 2
Moles of electrons Q ÷ F
7,200 ÷ 96 485 = 0.074623 molDividing by the Faraday constant F = 96 485 C/mol converts charge to moles of electrons. - 3
Moles of substance Q ÷ (n × F)
7,200 ÷ (2 × 96 485) = 0.037311 mol - 4
Mass deposited m = n_substance × M
0.037311 × 63.55 = 2.3711
How does this calculator work?
Faraday's laws give the deposited mass as m = (I × t × M) / (n × F). The charge Q = I × t divided by F = 96485 C/mol gives moles of electrons, and dividing by n gives moles of substance, which times the molar mass M yields the mass deposited at the electrode.
Formula
How this is calculated
First the total electric charge passed through the cell is found from the current and time: Q = I × t, measured in coulombs (with I in amperes and t in seconds). This charge represents the total electrons delivered to the electrode.
Dividing the charge by the Faraday constant F = 96485 C/mol gives the moles of electrons (Q / F). Because each ion requires n electrons to be reduced or oxidized (for example n = 2 for Cu²⁺ → Cu), the moles of substance deposited equal Q / (n × F). Multiplying by the molar mass M gives the deposited mass m = (Q × M) / (n × F).
The model assumes 100% current efficiency, a single electrode reaction, and constant current. In practice side reactions, gas evolution, or varying current lower the actual yield, so the computed mass is a theoretical maximum. The electron count n must be a positive integer; a value of zero or below is rejected to avoid division by zero.
Frequently asked questions
It is the charge carried by one mole of electrons, approximately 96485 coulombs per mole. It links the electric charge passed to the moles of electrons transferred.
Use the charge of the ion being deposited: n = 1 for Ag⁺, n = 2 for Cu²⁺ or Zn²⁺, and n = 3 for Al³⁺. It is the number of electrons gained or lost per ion in the half-reaction.
This calculator assumes 100% current efficiency. Competing reactions such as hydrogen evolution, or current that does not reach the electrode of interest, reduce the actual deposited mass below the theoretical value.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Faraday Electrolysis Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/faraday-electrolysis-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Faraday Electrolysis Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/faraday-electrolysis-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Faraday Electrolysis Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/faraday-electrolysis-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_faraday_electrolysis_calculator, title = {Faraday Electrolysis Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/faraday-electrolysis-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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