## How to determine n in the Nernst Equation/Gibbs Free Energy Equation

$\Delta G^{\circ} = -nFE_{cell}^{\circ}$

Baoying Li 1B
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:18 am

### How to determine n in the Nernst Equation/Gibbs Free Energy Equation

What is "n" in the Nernst Equation and Gibbs Free Energy Equation? Do they have the same meaning? How do we determine it when we are giving a chemical equation? For Hw PROBLEM 6L#1 a), how do we know that the n is 2?

Chris Tai 1B
Posts: 102
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: How to determine n in the Nernst Equation/Gibbs Free Energy Equation

The "n" in the Nernst equation represents the amount of moles of electrons that are present. When this is multiplied by Farraday's constant, one can find the total charge of that given amount of moles of electrons.
The n in the Gibbs Free Energy represents the amount of moles of a given substance, it doesn't necessarily have to be moles of electrons.
We can determine the amount of moles n in a chemical equation by looking at the stoichiometric coefficients of the chemical equation once we have balanced it, or we can use the given amount of moles of a substance that the problem provides.