How do you calculate average current?

Question

0.149grams of Gold (Au) is deposited after the voltaic cell ran for twenty minutes. What is the average current that passed through?

Answer 1

Find moles of Au

Convert mols Au to mols electrons

Convert mols electrons to coulombs

Convert coulombs to coulombs per second

This provides the number of amps (C/s) needed

0.149 g Au x 1 mol Au / 197 g = 0.000756 mols Au

7.56x10^-4 mols Au x 3 electrons / mol Au = 2.27x10^-3 mols electrons

2.27x10^-3 mols e- x 96495 C/mol e- = 219 C

20 minutes x 60 sec / min = 1200 sec

219 C / 1200 sec = 0.183 C/s = 0.183 amps