Conductimetric analysis

The number and type of ions in a solution affect its electical conductivity. As
some chemical reactions take place in solution, the ionic balance changes and
the resultng change in conductvity can be used to measure the rate of the
reaction (fig. 1.1.6). These reflect the changes in the ions present in the
solution and so can be used to measure the changes in concentation of the
various components of the mixture. For example, when bromoethane reacts
with hydroxide ions in alkaline solution, the small, mobile hydroxide ions in
the starting solution are replaced by larger, slower moving bromide ions as the
reaction progresses. This is reflected in a change in the conductivity of the
solution as the ionic concentrations change - which in turn gives us a measure
of the rate at which the reaction is takig place.