Electrolyte – substance which in a firm state is dielectric that is does not carry electric current, however, in the dissolved or melted look becomes the conductor. Why there is such sharp change of properties? The fact is that electrolyte molecules in solutions or fusions dissociate on positively charged and negatively charged ions thanks to what these substances in such aggregate state are capable to carry electric current. The majority of salts, acids, the bases has electrolytic properties.
Instruction
1. Whether everything electrolytes are identical on force, that is are good conductors of current? No, as many substances in solutions or fusions dissociate only in small degree. Therefore electrolytes are subdivided into strong, average force and weak.
2. What substances belong to strong electrolytes? Such substances, in solutions or fusions of which of dissociation are exposed to nearly 100% of molecules, and regardless of concentration of solution. The list of strong electrolytes includes absolute majority of soluble alkalis, salts and some acids, such as salt, bromic, iodide, nitric, etc.
3. What do electrolytes of average force differ from them in? What they dissociate in much smaller degree (break up to ions from 3% to 30% of molecules). Classical representatives of such electrolytes – sulfuric and orthophosphoric acids.
4. And how weak electrolytes behave in solutions or fusions? First, they dissociate in very small degree (no more than 3% of total number of molecules), secondly, their dissociation goes the worse and more slowly, than concentration of solution is higher. Liquid ammonia (ammonium hydroxide), the majority of organic and inorganic acids (including fluoric – HF) and, certainly, to all of us familiar water belong to such electrolytes, for example. As it is only insignificant a small share of its molecules breaks up to hydrogen ions and a hydroxyl ions.
5. Remember that extent of dissociation and, respectively, force of electrolyte are depending on many factors: nature of the electrolyte, solvent, temperature. Therefore this division is to a certain extent conditional. The same substance can under various conditions be both strong electrolyte, and weak. For assessment of force of electrolyte the special size – the dissociation constant defined on the basis of the law of the acting masses was entered. But it is applicable only in relation to weak electrolytes; strong electrolytes do not submit to the law of the operating masses.