Why does nacl conduct electricity and benzene do not

Answer 1

Solid NaCl consists of Na^+ and Cl^- but those ions are not free to move around; i.e., they are locked into position in the solid crystalline structure. Since they can't move the solid does not conduct electricity. When solid NaCl is dissolved in water the crystal structure is broken, the ions are free to move in the solution so that solution does conduct electricity. Benzene, on the other hand, does not consist of ions; therefore, it does not conduct.