The term "electrochemical equivalent" refers to a measure used in electrochemistry to quantify the amount of a substance that is deposited or dissolved at an electrode during electrolysis for a given amount of electric charge. It is closely related to Faraday's laws of electrolysis, which describe how the amount of substance transformed during electrolysis is proportional to the electric charge passed through the cell.
Let's break it down:
### 1. **Faraday's Laws of Electrolysis:**
- **First Law:** The mass of a substance altered at an electrode during electrolysis is directly proportional to the quantity of electric charge passed through the cell.
- **Second Law:** The mass of different substances altered at an electrode by the same quantity of electric charge is proportional to their equivalent weights.
### 2. **Electrochemical Equivalent (E):**
The electrochemical equivalent of a substance is a way of quantifying these transformations. It represents the amount of a substance (in grams) that is deposited or dissolved when one coulomb (C) of electric charge is passed through an electrolytic cell.
Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
\[ E = \frac{M}{n \cdot F} \]
where:
- \( E \) is the electrochemical equivalent (in grams per coulomb),
- \( M \) is the molar mass of the substance (in grams per mole),
- \( n \) is the number of electrons required to deposit or dissolve one mole of the substance (valency or oxidation state),
- \( F \) is Faraday's constant (approximately 96485 coulombs per mole).
### 3. **Faraday’s Constant (F):**
Faraday’s constant (\( F \)) represents the charge of one mole of electrons. Its value is approximately 96485 coulombs per mole. It is crucial in electrochemistry because it allows for the conversion between charge and the amount of substance in reactions.
### 4. **Practical Use:**
In practical applications, knowing the electrochemical equivalent of a substance helps in calculating how much of a substance will be deposited or dissolved during electrolysis. This is particularly useful in industries that rely on electroplating, electrorefining, and other electrochemical processes.
### Example:
For instance, if you want to electroplate silver onto a surface, you need to know how much silver will be deposited for a given amount of electrical current and time. By using the electrochemical equivalent of silver, you can calculate the exact amount of silver that will be deposited for a specified amount of electric charge.
In summary, the electrochemical equivalent is a key concept in electrochemistry that helps translate electrical charge into physical amounts of materials processed during electrolysis. It is a practical tool for designing and controlling electrochemical processes.