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Chapter 4: Problem 21

Which solution(s) would you expect to conduct electricity well? Explain your reasoning. a. an aqueous solution of acetic acid b. an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide c. a solution of ethylene glycol in water d. a solution of ammonium chloride in water

Short Answer

Expert verified
Solutions of potassium hydroxide and ammonium chloride conduct electricity well due to the presence of ions.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Conductivity

Electric conductivity in a solution depends on the presence of ions. A solution will conduct electricity well if it contains freely moving charged particles, such as ions.
02

Analyzing Acetic Acid

Acetic acid (CH鈧僀OOH) is a weak acid, which means it partially dissociates into ions in water: CH鈧僀OOH ightleftharpoons CH鈧僀OO鈦� + H鈦�. Due to this partial ionization, the solution does not conduct electricity very well.
03

Analyzing Potassium Hydroxide

Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is a strong base, which dissolves and ionizes completely in water to form K鈦� and OH鈦� ions: KOH 鈫� K鈦� + OH鈦�. The presence of these ions makes the solution conduct electricity well.
04

Analyzing Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene glycol (C鈧侶鈧哋鈧�) is a covalent compound and does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. Without the production of ions, the solution conducts electricity poorly.
05

Analyzing Ammonium Chloride

Ammonium chloride (NH鈧凜l) is a salt that dissociates completely in water to form NH鈧勨伜 and Cl鈦� ions: NH鈧凜l 鈫� NH鈧勨伜 + Cl鈦�. The presence of these ions allows the solution to conduct electricity well.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Aqueous Solutions
An aqueous solution is a mixture where water acts as the solvent and some other substance is dissolved in it. Water is often called the "universal solvent" because it can dissolve many substances, creating solutions that are essential in various chemical processes. In these solutions, the substance that gets dissolved is called the solute. When ionic compounds are dissolved in water, they tend to dissociate into ions. These ions are crucial for the solution's ability to conduct electricity. A clear way to identify an aqueous solution is to look for the notation, such as (aq), next to the chemical formula, indicating that the substance is disolved in water.
Ionization of Acids and Bases
Ionization is a process in which a molecule splits into ions when dissolved in water. Acids and bases ionize differently based on their strength. Strong acids and bases, like hydrochloric acid (HCl) or potassium hydroxide (KOH), completely ionize in water, producing a high concentration of ions. This complete ionization results in solutions that conduct electricity well. Weak acids and bases, like acetic acid (CH鈧僀OOH), only partially ionize, producing fewer ions, leading to weaker conductivity. Key features of ionization include:
  • Full ionization: Produces a large number of ions.
  • Partial ionization: Only a fraction of molecules ionize, producing fewer ions.
This difference in ionization impacts the solution's ability to conduct electricity.
Electrical Conductivity of Solutions
Electrical conductivity in solutions describes their ability to transmit an electric current. This ability largely depends on the presence and concentration of ions within the solution. The more freely moving charged particles (ions) there are, the better the solution can conduct electricity. Strong electrolytes, such as salts and strong acids/bases, dissociate into ions more fully and create solutions with high conductivity. In contrast, substances like sugar or ethylene glycol in water do not break into ions and are considered non-electrolytes. Therefore, their solutions conduct electricity poorly. Conductivity in solutions can be understood by considering:
  • Type of solute: Electrolytes vs. nonelectrolytes.
  • Concentration of ions: More ions mean better conductivity.
Dissociation of Salts in Water
When salts dissolve in water, they typically break apart into their respective positive and negative ions. This process is called dissociation. Take ammonium chloride (NH鈧凜l) as an example: when it dissolves in water, it dissociates into ammonium ions (NH鈧勨伜) and chloride ions (Cl鈦�). These free ions can move through the solution, allowing it to conduct electricity. The dissociation process of salts not only facilitates the electrical conductivity of the solution, but it also plays a critical role in various chemical reactions and processes. Important aspects of salt dissociation include:
  • Complete dissociation: Produces a high concentration of free ions.
  • Common examples: Salts like sodium chloride and ammonium chloride.

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