The picture shows the supplies that a student used to create a circuit. There are two electrodes, one of them is connected to the light bulb, while the other electrode is connected to a battery, and that battery is connected to the light bulb. The student recognizes that if they put the electrodes into the deionized water, it will not conduct electricity and his circuit will not work. Into which compound could the student mix the water to make their circuit operational?

Answer 1

To make the circuit operational in deionized water, the student can mix in an electrolyte to allow the water to conduct electricity. Common choices include:

1. Table Salt (Sodium Chloride, NaCl) - Dissolving table salt in deionized water will dissociate into sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions, which conduct electricity.

2. Sugar - While sugar molecules (like glucose) dissolve in water, they do not dissociate into ions and therefore do not conduct electricity well. Hence, sugar would not be suitable for this purpose.

3. Vinegar (Acetic Acid) - Mixing vinegar into the water introduces acetic acid, which can dissociate into ions, allowing for conductivity.

4. Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) - Dissolving baking soda in water will also create ions (sodium and bicarbonate) that can enhance conductivity.

Among these, sodium chloride (table salt) is the most commonly used compound to mix with water for creating a conductive solution.