What is an electrolyte?
1 Answer
Mar 5, 2015
A substance that is capable of conducting an electric current is conductive.
These substances are known as electrolytes. They conduct electricity because they contain ions, or charged particles. When they are dissolved, the ions separate, creating a path for electrons to flow.
Examples:
NaOH---> Na+ and OH-
This is an electrolyte (all salts are) because it contains a positive and negative ion.
HCl---> H+ and Cl-
This is an electrolyte (all acids are) because it also contains a positive and negative ion.
Hope this helps! In many applications, the easiest way to check to see if something is an electrolyte is to look for metals. Any compound starting with a metal (eg. Li, Ag, Au) or Hydrogen (because these are acids) will conduct.
