Final answer:
Faraday's constant represents the charge of one mole of electrons and is used in stoichiometric calculations for electrochemical cells. It is approximately 96,485 C/mol and allows us to calculate the number of electrons transferred in a reaction by relating the electric charge passed in the cell to the amount of substance reacted.
Step-by-step explanation:
Faraday's constant (F) is a measurement of electric charge that can be used in stoichiometric calculations for electrochemical reactions. It is defined as the total charge of one mole of electrons, with the value being approximately 96,485 coulombs per mole (C/mol). When an electrochemical reaction occurs within an electrochemical cell, the flow of current (measured in amperes, A) and duration of that flow (time in seconds, s) can be used to calculate the total charge (Q) that has been transferred using the equation Q = I × t. This calculation is essential when determining the amount of substance altered in the reaction through the relationship Q = nF, where n represents the moles of electrons transferred.
Faraday's experiments in the 1830s played a pivotal role in solidifying our understanding of the relationship between electrical charge and chemical reactions. By observing that approximately 100,000 C per mole were required to plate singly ionized ions, Faraday laid the groundwork for determining the charge of an electron, which was later found to be about 1.6 × 10-19 C, when this constant was divided by Avogadro's number, the number of constituent particles, usually atoms or molecules, in one mole of a given substance.