Question
Salt and pure water are not good conductors, but when mixed together they conduct electricity well. This is because the electrons in their atoms can move around more when they are mixed. Why do you think electrons being able to move might help something conduct electricity?
Answers
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GPT-4o mini
To understand why the movement of electrons helps conduct electricity, it's important to consider what electricity actually is. Electricity is the flow of electric charge, typically carried by moving electrons.
In pure water and salt, pure water (H2O) is a poor conductor because it has very few free ions (charged particles) to carry the electric current. Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl), when dissolved in water, dissociates into its constituent ions (sodium ions, Na+, and chloride ions, Cl-). These ions are charged particles that can move freely in the solution.
When salt is mixed with pure water, the dissolved ions can move relatively freely throughout the solution. This movement of charged ions allows electric charge to be carried through the water. When an electric field is applied, these free-moving ions respond by migrating toward the opposite charges, effectively creating a flow of electric current.
Thus, having mobile charged particles (like ions in saltwater) increases the conductivity because it allows for the flow of charge. In contrast, if electrons are stuck in place or have limited mobility—like in pure water or solid salt—they cannot facilitate this flow, and thus, electricity cannot be conducted effectively. Therefore, the ability for electrons (and in this case, ions) to move is crucial for good electrical conductivity.
In pure water and salt, pure water (H2O) is a poor conductor because it has very few free ions (charged particles) to carry the electric current. Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl), when dissolved in water, dissociates into its constituent ions (sodium ions, Na+, and chloride ions, Cl-). These ions are charged particles that can move freely in the solution.
When salt is mixed with pure water, the dissolved ions can move relatively freely throughout the solution. This movement of charged ions allows electric charge to be carried through the water. When an electric field is applied, these free-moving ions respond by migrating toward the opposite charges, effectively creating a flow of electric current.
Thus, having mobile charged particles (like ions in saltwater) increases the conductivity because it allows for the flow of charge. In contrast, if electrons are stuck in place or have limited mobility—like in pure water or solid salt—they cannot facilitate this flow, and thus, electricity cannot be conducted effectively. Therefore, the ability for electrons (and in this case, ions) to move is crucial for good electrical conductivity.