Electrolysis Calculator
Compute electrolysis mass via Faraday's law with element selector, current, and time. Free chemistry tool with charts and breakdowns for students and lab work.
Electrochemical equivalent Z: 3.2930e-4 g/C
About This Calculator
This electrolysis calculator uses Faraday's laws of electrolysis to determine the mass of a substance deposited at an electrode during an electrochemical reaction. It is an essential tool for chemistry students, electrochemists, and laboratory professionals working with electrolytic cells, electroplating, and electrochemical synthesis.
The calculator applies Faraday's first law: the mass of a substance produced at an electrode is directly proportional to the quantity of electric charge passed through the electrolyte. The formula m = (I × t × M) / (n × F) combines the current I (amperes), time t (seconds), molar mass M (g/mol), number of electrons transferred n, and Faraday's constant F (96485 C/mol). The calculator supports eleven common elements with precomputed electrochemical equivalents, plus a custom mode for any other substance.
How the Calculation Works
Faraday's constant F = 96,485 C/mol represents the charge carried by one mole of electrons. For a given element, the electrochemical equivalent Z = M / (n × F) is computed once. Then the mass is simply m = Z × Q, where Q = I × t is the total charge passed. The results include the deposited mass in grams and milligrams, total charge in coulombs, moles of substance deposited, and the Z value.
Applications
Electrolysis calculations are used in electroplating (coating objects with metals like silver, gold, copper, nickel), water electrolysis for hydrogen fuel production, metal refining, and battery design. The calculator works for any electrolytic cell where you know the current, time, and the substance being deposited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Faraday's law of electrolysis?
Faraday's first law of electrolysis states that the mass of a substance deposited at an electrode is directly proportional to the electric charge passed through the electrolyte. The formula is m = Z × Q, where m is mass, Z is the electrochemical equivalent, and Q is the charge in coulombs.
How do I calculate the mass deposited during electrolysis?
Enter the current in amperes (A), time in seconds (s), and select the element being deposited. The calculator uses the formula m = (I × t × M) / (n × F) where M is molar mass, n is the number of electrons transferred, and F is Faraday's constant (96485 C/mol).
What is the electrochemical equivalent Z?
The electrochemical equivalent Z is a constant for each element calculated as Z = M / (n × F), where M is molar mass in g/mol, n is the number of electrons transferred per ion, and F is Faraday's constant (96485 C/mol). It represents the mass deposited per unit charge.
What elements are supported in this electrolysis calculator?
The calculator supports Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Gold (Au), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Hydrogen (H₂), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Oxygen (O₂), and Aluminium (Al). You can also enter a custom element by providing the molar mass and number of electrons transferred.
Can I use this calculator for water electrolysis?
Yes. Select Hydrogen (H₂) to calculate the mass of hydrogen gas produced, or Oxygen (O₂) for oxygen gas produced during water electrolysis. The calculator uses the standard electrochemical constants for diatomic hydrogen and oxygen.
What units does this electrolysis calculator use?
Current is entered in amperes (A), time in seconds (s), and mass results are displayed in grams (g) and milligrams (mg). Charge is shown in coulombs (C). For the custom option, molar mass is entered in g/mol.