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When delving into the world of electrolytes, one of the foundational concepts is the electrically conducting solution. This is typically a liquid that can carry an electrical current. The magic happens when an electrolyte dissolves in a polar solvent like water, giving birth to a solution that can conduct electricity.

At the heart of this phenomenon are the ions that crop up once the electrolyte breaks apart. For instance, table salt (NaCl) in water splits into Na+ (sodium ions) and Cl- (chloride ions). These ions act as tiny carriers, ferrying electric charges around the solution. The result? A substance that was once resistant to electricity—like pure water—suddenly becomes a conduit for electric currents. It’s particularly important in applications like car batteries, where such solutions enable the flow of charge to start your engine.

Digging deeper, ions in electrolytes are the workhorses that transform an inactive compound into an electrically lively one. They emerge during the process of electrolytic dissociation when an electrolyte dissolves and dissociates. Take, for example, magnesium sulfate—it separates into Mg2+ and SO4 2- ions in water.

The nature of these ions—whether they are positively charged cations like Mg2+ or negatively charged anions like SO4 2-—dictates their behavior in an electric field. This behavior isn't arbitrary; it's rooted in the fundamental laws of attraction and repulsion. Positive ions meander towards the negative electrode (cathode), while negative ions glide towards the positive electrode (anode). In essence, these charged entities hold the keys to the conductive power of electrolytic solutions, paving pathways for electricity to stream through.

Electrolyte conductance is a measure of an electrolyte's ability to conduct electricity. It's an intriguing characteristic that sets electrolytes apart from non-electrolytes. The conductance is intricately linked to the density, charge, and speed of the moving ions.

To paint a clearer picture, imagine a highway where the cars represent ions. The number of cars (ion concentration), their speed (ion mobility), and their size (charge) determine the highway's (solution’s) traffic flow (electric current). The more ion 'cars' there are, the greater the current can be. Moreover, even the temperature can alter the scenario, much like weather affects traffic—warmer conditions ramp up ion mobility, hence higher conductance.

Special equipment, like conductance meters, can gauge this property by assessing how well a current flows through a solution. Thanks to these devices, we can measure and understand electrolyte conductance, which, in turn, informs us about the electrolyte's concentration and can even hint at potential applications in batteries, sensors, and medical diagnostics.