Faraday Constant
Definition
The electric charge of one mole of electrons: about 96,485 coulombs. It connects electron count to measurable charge in electrolysis.
Symbol: · Unit: C/mol
Technical definition
The Faraday constant (F) is the magnitude of electric charge per mole of electrons, equal to Avogadro's number times the elementary charge, about 96,485 C/mol. It converts between moles of electrons transferred and total charge (Q = nF) in electrolysis calculations.
Example
Plating 1 mole of copper (Cu^2+ + 2e- -> Cu) requires 2 x 96,485 = 192,970 C of charge.
Common confusion
The Faraday constant is charge per mole of ELECTRONS, not per mole of reactant. Always multiply by the electrons per reaction from the balanced half-reaction.