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Chapter 4: Problem 5

Water is an extremely weak electrolyte and therefore cannot conduct electricity. Why are we often cautioned not to operate electrical appliances when our hands are wet?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Water seen in our daily lives is not pure and contains ions that can dramatically increase its conductivity. Wet hands operating electrical appliances can therefore create a path for the electrical current, which can lead to electric shocks.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding Electrolytes

Electrolytes are substances which, when in a solution, conduct electricity. On its own, pure water is a weak electrolyte because it ionizes very poorly, meaning that it has very few ions available to conduct electricity.
02

- Water as a Conductor

Although water on its own does not conduct electricity very well, if any ions are present, they can dramatically improve its conductivity. Tap and natural water are not pure; they contain various dissolved minerals and salts, which means that it has ions available to conduct electricity.
03

- Dangers of Water and Electricity

When hands are wet, they can provide a conduit for electrical current if they come into contact with an electrical source. This can result in electric shock due to the ability of the water (containing ions) on the hands to conduct electricity. Therefore, it's important not to operate electrical appliances when hands are wet, as not only can the water on the hands conduct the electricity, but it can also aid in creating a path for the electricity to the ground.
04

- Conclusion

The primary reason why the caution to not operate electrical appliances when hands are wet is widely suggested, is because water from our daily lives (i.e., tap water, or even water on wet skin) contains ions which can conduct electricity and can thus pose a risk of electrical shock if in contact with electrical appliances.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What are the characteristics of an acid-base neutralization reaction?

Describe the steps involved in preparing a solution of known molar concentration using a volumetric flask.

Someone spilled concentrated sulfuric acid on the floor of a chemistry laboratory. To neutralize the acid, would it be preferable to pour concentrated sodium hydroxide solution or spray solid sodium bicarbonate over the acid? Explain your choice and the chemical basis for the action

Hydrogen halides (HF, HCl, HBr, HI) are highly reactive compounds that have many industrial and laboratory uses. (a) In the laboratory, HF and HCl can be generated by reacting \(\mathrm{CaF}_{2}\) and \(\mathrm{NaCl}\) with concentrated sulfuric acid. Write appropriate equations for the reactions. (Hint: These are not redox reactions.) (b) Why is it that HBr and HI cannot be prepared similarly, that is, by reacting \(\mathrm{NaBr}\) and \(\mathrm{NaI}\) with concentrated sulfuric acid? (Hint: \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\) is a stronger oxidizing agent than both \(\mathrm{Br}_{2}\) and \(\mathrm{I}_{2} .\) ) (c) \(\mathrm{HBr}\) can be prepared by reacting phosphorus tribromide \(\left(\mathrm{PBr}_{3}\right)\) with water. Write an equation for this reaction.

Write the equation that enables us to calculate the concentration of a diluted solution. Give units for all the terms.
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