Strong electrolytes dissolve completely in water, dissociating into positively and negatively charged ions, allowing them to conduct electricity. They are usually salts, strong acids, or bases, and can be identified by their molecular formula. Ionic bonds occur when two atoms share an electron, resulting in positively and negatively charged ions. Strong electrolytes can be used in electrolytic cells to create an electrical circuit.
Addressed in chemistry, a strong electrolyte is a substance that dissolves completely when placed in water. When dissolved, a strong electrolyte dissociates into both positively and negatively charged molecules or atoms, called cations and anions, respectively. These electrolytes are capable of conducting electricity in their dissolved states but not in their solid forms. They are usually salts and strong acids and bases.
Electrolytes have three categories: strong, weak and non-electrolytes. A strong electrolyte dissociates completely or almost completely when placed in water, while a weak electrolyte only partially dissociates and a non-electrolyte remains intact. Most of the molecules that can be broken up in water are held together by ionic bonds.
Ionic bonds occur when two atoms or molecules share an electron. When the bond breaks, one of the atoms keeps the shared electron. Since electrons are negatively charged, the atom that has gained an electron becomes negatively charged and the atom that has lost the electron becomes positively charged. Positive charge results when the number of protons, which are positively charged, in the nucleus of the atom no longer equals the number of electrons, which are negatively charged.
The formation of these positively and negatively charged ions, called cations and anions, is what allows a strong electrolyte to conduct electricity. The more ions in the solution, the stronger the electrical conduction. Electrolytic cells use this principle. A strong electrolyte is dissolved in water and two rods, called the cathode and anode, are connected to the positive and negative electrical output. Electric current travels through the anode, through the solution, and out the cathode, creating an electrical circuit.
Because strong electrolytes are strong acids, salts, or strong bases, they can often be determined by looking at their molecular formula. Salts are generally a metal bonded to another element. Sodium chloride (NaCl), commonly known as table salt, is one of the more easily recognizable salts. The molecular formula for strong bases also usually starts with a metal but generally ends with a hydroxide (OH) molecule. If nitrogen (N) is in the molecular formula of a base, it is most likely a weak, rather than a strong, base, and therefore also a weak electrolyte.
Most acids are weak acids and can be easily identified by the hydrogen atom (H) that starts their molecular formulas. The seven strong acids, however, also start with hydrogen and are simply stored by scientists working with strong electrolytes. Strong acids are hydrobromic acid (HBr), hydrogen iodide (HI), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), perchloric acid (HClO4), chloric acid (HClO3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
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