Pure water and pure salt are poor conductors of electricity. When salt is dissolved in water, the resulting solution conducts electricity well. Which statement explains why this occurs with these substances? (1 point)

Question

The process of dissolving frees the atoms in the solution to move.

The process of dissolving frees the electrons in the solution to move.

The process of dissolving closely binds the ions in the solution.

The process of dissolving more closely binds the electrons in the solution.

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

The process of dissolving frees the electrons in the solution to move.

However, this is slightly misleading because when salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) dissolves in water, it dissociates into Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. These ions are free to move in the solution, which allows the solution to conduct electricity well. The accurate explanation would focus on the mobility of the ions rather than the movement of electrons directly. That said, in the context of the provided options, the closest reasoning is that dissolving allows charged particles (ions) to move and hence conduct electricity well.