In every electrochemical process, whether spontaneous or not, a certain amount of electric charge is transferred during the oxidation and reduction. The half-reactions we have written for electrode processes include the electrons which carry that charge. It is possible to measure the rate at which the charge is transferred with a device called an ammeter.
An ammeter measures the current flowing through a circuit. The units of current are amperes (A) (amps, for short). Unlike a voltmeter, ammeters allow electrons to pass and essentially "clock" them as they go by.
The amount of electric charge which has
passed through the circuit can then be calculated by a simple
relationship:
This enables us to connect reaction
stoichiometry to electrical measurements. The principles
underlying these relationships were worked out in the first half
of the 19th century by the English scientist, Michael
Faraday. 
