Tony is assembling a circuit at home. He understands that if he places the electrodes in deionized water, it won't conduct electricity and his circuit will not function. Which compound could Tony mix with the water to ensure his circuit works?

Question

A. NaCl (salt) because it is an ionic compound that will dissociate in water, allowing the water to conduct electricity.
B. C₆H₁₂O₆ (sugar) because it is a ionic compound that will dissolve in water and will dissociate to make the water conduct electricity.
C. NaCl (salt) because it is an covalent compound that will dissociate in water and enable the water to conduct electricity.
D. C₆H₁₂O₆ (sugar) because it is a covalent compound that will dissolve in water and will dissociate to make the water conduct electricity.

Answer 1

The correct option for Tony to mix with deionized water to enable it to conduct electricity is:

A. NaCl (salt) because it is an ionic compound that will dissociate in water, allowing the water to conduct electricity.

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is an ionic compound that dissociates into sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions when dissolved in water. These ions allow the solution to conduct electricity.

In contrast, glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) is a covalent compound and does not dissociate into ions in water; therefore, it will not enhance the conductivity of the solution.