A student designs an experiment to test the conductivity of distilled water and salt water. The experimental set-up and results are shown below.

Which of the following BEST explains why salt water helped conduct electricity?

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1 point
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Salt is a strong electrolyte and when dissolved in water, the sodium and chlorine ions bond with water molecules to produce electricity.
Salt is a strong electrolyte and when dissolved in water, the sodium and chlorine ions are separated and carry electricity through the water.
Salt is a weak electrolyte and when dissolved in water, the sodium and chlorine ions bond with water molecules to produce electricity.
Salt is a weak electrolyte and when dissolved in water, the sodium and chlorine ions are separated and carry electricity through the water.

1 answer

The best explanation for why salt water helps conduct electricity is:

Salt is a strong electrolyte and when dissolved in water, the sodium and chlorine ions are separated and carry electricity through the water.

This option correctly describes how salt (sodium chloride) dissociates into sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions in solution, which are responsible for conducting electricity.