Why ionic compounds conduct electricity

Electric current is defined as the movement of electric charges. The substances through which an electric current can flow are called electrical conductors, and the others are electrical nonconductors.

The figure above shows just a few examples of the color and brilliance of naturally occurring ionic crystals. The regular and orderly arrangement of ions in the crystal lattice is responsible for the various shapes of these crystals, while transition metal ions give rise to the colors. Because of the many simultaneous attractions between cations and anions that occur, ionic crystal lattices are very strong. The process of melting an ionic compound requires the addition of large amounts of energy in order to break all of the ionic bonds in the crystal. Ionic compounds are generally hard, but brittle.

Why ionic compounds conduct electricity

The reason comes down to the difference between ionic bonds and covalent bonds, as well as understanding what happens when dissociated ions are subjected to an electric field. In short, ionic compounds conduct electricity in water because they separate into charged ions, which are then attracted to the oppositely charged electrode. You need to know the difference between ionic and covalent bonds to get a better understanding of the electrical conductivity of ionic compounds. Covalent bonds are formed when atoms share electrons to complete their outer valence shells. An ionic bond works differently. Some atoms, like sodium, have one or very few electrons in their outer shells. Other atoms, like chlorine, have outer shells that just need one more electron to have a full shell. The extra electron in that first atom can transfer to the second to fill that other shell. However, the processes of losing and gaining elections create an imbalance between the charge in the nucleus and the charge from the electrons, giving the resultant atom a net positive charge when an electron is lost or a net negative charge when one is gained. These charged atoms are called ions, and oppositely charged ions can be attracted together to form an ionic bond and an electrically neutral molecule, such as NaCl, or sodium chloride. The ionic bonds that keep molecules like common salt sodium chloride together can be broken apart in some circumstances. The ionic bonds can also be broken if the molecules are melted under high temperature, which has the same effect when they remain in a molten state. The fact that either of these processes leads to a collection of charged ions is central to the electrical conductivity of ionic compounds.

Other atoms, like chlorine, have outer shells that just need one more electron to have a full shell.

The physical properties close physical properties A description of the appearance of a substance or how it acts without involving chemical reactions. For example, state, melting point, conductivity, etc. Listen to the full series on BBC Sounds. Ionic compounds are held together by many strong electrostatic close electrostatic force A force of attraction between particles with opposite charges. A lot of energy is needed to overcome these ionic bonds, so ionic compounds have high melting points. Ionic compounds conduct electricity when molten close molten A term used to describe a liquid substance eg rock, glass or metal formed by heating a solid.

The figure below shows just a few examples of the color and brilliance of naturally occurring ionic crystals. The regular and orderly arrangement of ions in the crystal lattice is responsible for the various shapes of these crystals, while transition metal ions give rise to the colors. Because of the many simultaneous attractions between cations and anions that occur, ionic crystal lattices are very strong. The process of melting an ionic compound requires the addition of large amounts of energy in order to break all of the ionic bonds in the crystal. For example, sodium chloride has a melting temperature of about o C. Ionic compounds are generally hard, but brittle. It takes a large amount of mechanical force, such as striking a crystal with a hammer, to force one layer of ions to shift relative to its neighbor.

Why ionic compounds conduct electricity

The figure above shows just a few examples of the color and brilliance of naturally occurring ionic crystals. The regular and orderly arrangement of ions in the crystal lattice is responsible for the various shapes of these crystals, while transition metal ions give rise to the colors. Because of the many simultaneous attractions between cations and anions that occur, ionic crystal lattices are very strong. The process of melting an ionic compound requires the addition of large amounts of energy in order to break all of the ionic bonds in the crystal. Ionic compounds are generally hard, but brittle. It takes a large amount of mechanical force, such as striking a crystal with a hammer, to force one layer of ions to shift relative to its neighbor.

Tablet wallpaper

Now the crystal lattice has been broken apart and the individual positive and negative ions can move. You can reuse this answer Creative Commons License. This process is why ionic compounds conduct electricity in water. Watch the video below and answer the following questions:. How to Light a Lightbulb With Saltwater. The overall concentration of electrolytes in intravenous fluids given to patients is about the same as of electrolytes in the body fluids. Lee Johnson is a freelance writer and science enthusiast, with a passion for distilling complex concepts into simple, digestible language. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The physical properties close physical properties A description of the appearance of a substance or how it acts without involving chemical reactions. Explore More Watch the video below and answer the following questions:. Ionic compounds conduct an electric current when melted or dissolved in water. What is an electrolyte? Molecular compounds other than acids and bases, such as methanol, acetone, sugar, and glucose, remain neutral molecules when dissolved in water. Carbonate ions are involved in maintaining the pH of the blood.

The physical properties close properties The characteristics of something. In chemistry, chemical properties include the reactions a substance can take part in.

Not all ionic substances are soluble close soluble Able to dissolve in solvent. What do the terms anhydrous, hydrous, and undissociated mean? The repulsive forces between like-charged ions cause the crystal to shatter. The fact that either of these processes leads to a collection of charged ions is central to the electrical conductivity of ionic compounds. The positively charged ions sodium in a salt solution are attracted to the cathode and the negatively charged ions chloride ions in a salt solution are attracted to the anode. Related questions Question 79c2f. In the first beaker, distilled water does not conduct a current because water is a molecular compound. Shown as aq in chemical equations. For example, sugar is soluble in water because it dissolves to form sugar solution. Listen to the full series on BBC Sounds. Conduction of electricity. Properties of ionic compounds. Ionic compounds are held together by many strong electrostatic close electrostatic force A force of attraction between particles with opposite charges.