Conductivity

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Introduction to Conductivity

Definition

Conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct electric current. The principle by which instrumentsmeasure conductivity is simple - two plates are placed in the sample, a potential is applied across theplates (normally a sine wave voltage), and the current is measured. Conductivity (G), the inverse of resistivity (R) is determined from the voltage and current values according to Ohm's law.

G = I/R = I (amps) / E (volts)

Since the charge on ions in solution facilities the conductance of electrical current, the conductivity of asolution is proportional to its ion concentration. In some situations, however, conductivity may notcorrelate directly to concentration. The graphs below illustrate the relationship between conductivity andion concentration for two common solutions. Notice that the graph is linear for sodium chloride solution,but not for highly concentrated sulfuric acid. Ionic interactions can alter the linear relationship betweenconductivity and concentration in some highly concentrated solutions.

Definition of Conductivity

Conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct electric current. The principle by whichinstruments measure conductivity is simple—two plates are placed in the sample, a potential isapplied across the plates (normally a sine wave voltage), and the current that passes through the

solution is measured. Conductivity (G), the inverse of resistivity (R), is determined from thevoltage and current values according to Ohm's law.

G =1R

=I (amps)E (volts)

Since the charge on ions in solution facillitates the conductance of electrical current, theconductivity of a solution is proportionalto its ion concentration.In some situations, however,conductivity may not correlate directlyto concentration. The graphs shown hereillustrate the relationship betweenconductivity and ion concentration for two common solutions. Notice that thegraph is linear for sodium chloride solution, but not for highly concentrated sulfuric acid. Ionicinteractions can alter the linear relationship between conductivity and concentration in somehighly concentrated solutions.

Units of Measurement

The basic unit of conductance is the siemen (S), formerly called themho. Since cell geometry affects conductivity values, standardizedmeasurements are expressed in specific conductivity units (S/cm) tocompensate for variations in electrode dimensions. Specificconductivity (C) is simply the product of measured conductivity (G)and the electrode cell constant (L/A), where L is the length of thecolumn of liquid between the electrodes and A is the area of theelectrodes (see illustration).

C = G x (L/A)

If the cell constant(K) is 1 cm

-1

, the specific conductivity is the same as the measuredconductivity of the solution. If other cell constants are used, most meters will automaticallycompensate for the change in cell geometry. To save room, cm

-1

is not shown when cell constantsare listed.Although we specify conductivity ranges for our products in µS or mS, due to space limitationsthese ranges should be understood to reflect specific conductivity in µS/cm or mS/cm,respectively.

1 µS/cm = 0.001 mS/cm = 0.000001 S/cm = 1 µmho/cm

The following table shows optimum conductivity ranges for cells of three different constants:

CellConstant(K)Optimum Conductivity Range(µS/cm)

0.10.5 to 4001.010 to 200010.01000 to 200,000

Conductivity Meter Calibration and Cell Maintenance

Conductivity meters and cells should be calibrated to a standard solution before using. Select astandard that is closest to the conductivity of the solution to be measured. Polarized or fouledelectrodes must be replatinized or cleaned to renew active surface of the cell. In most situations,hot water with a mild liquid detergent is an effective cleanser. Acetone easily cleans most organicmatter, and chlorous solutions will remove algae, bacteria, or molds. Do not use abrasives toclean an electrode. Replace this cell if all else fails.The conductivity of some common solutions is shown in the table below.

SolutionConductivity

Pure water0.055 µS/cmPower plant boiler water1.0 µS/cmGood city water50 µS/cmOcean water53 mS/cm31.0% HNO3865 mS/cm

Conversions:

Multiply

→

to getto get

←

DivideµS/cm1µmho/cmmS/cm1000µS/cmµS/cm0.5ppm

Conductivity Temperature Compensation

Conductivity measurements are temperature dependent. The degree to which temperature affectsconductivity varies from solution to solution and can be calculated using the following formula:

G

t

= G

tcal

{1 + α(t-t

cal

)}

of 00

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