Chapter 4 Solutions

2
Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes

Copyright © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

1
Solutes and Ionic Charge
In water,
• strong electrolytes produce ions and conduct an electric
current.
• weak electrolytes produce a few ions, conduct very little
electricity
• nonelectrolytes do not produce ions, do not conduct electricity

Copyright © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

2
Strong Electrolytes

Strong electrolytes
• dissociate in water, producing positive and negative ions.
• conduct an electric current in water.
• in equations show the formation of ions in aqueous(aq)
solutions.
H2O 100% ions
NaCl(s) Na+(aq) + Cl−(aq)

H2O
CaBr2(s) Ca2+(aq) + 2Br−(aq)

3
Learning Check
Complete each for strong electrolytes in water.
H2O
A. CaCl2(s)
1) CaCl2(s)
2) Ca2+(aq) + Cl2−(aq)
3) Ca2+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq)
H2O
B. K3PO4(s)
1) 3K+(aq) + PO43−(aq)
2) K3PO4(s)
3) K3+(aq) + P3−(aq) + O4−(aq)

4
Solution

Complete each for strong electrolytes in water:

H2O
A. CaCl2(s)
3) Ca2+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq)
H2O
B. K3PO4 (s)
1) 3K+(aq) + PO43−(aq)

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Weak Electrolytes

A weak electrolyte
• dissociates only slightly in water.
• in water forms a solution of a few ions and mostly
undissociated molecules.
• The term IONISATION is the term to describe the
separation of Acids and Bases into ions

NH3(g) + H2O(l) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)

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 eg. ionisation of Acetic acid CH3COOH (weak electrolyte). They
do not ionise completely into CH3COO- and H+ ions

 CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+
(aq) (aq) (aq)

 The double arrow shows that it is a reversible reaction.

 Initially forward reaction occurs( ionisation)
 As time pass by, the ions combine to form CH3COOH ( backward
reaction).
 Eventually a stage is reached in which acid molecules ionize as
fast as the ions recombine. This chemical state is called
Chemical Equilibrium in which no net change can be observed.

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 What Conduct electricity in solution?

Cations (+) and Anions (-)

Strong Electrolyte – 100% dissociation

H2O
NaCl (s) Na+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Weak Electrolyte – not completely dissociated

CH3COOH CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq)

4.1
Nonelectrolytes

Nonelectrolytes
• dissolve as molecules in
water.
• do not produce ions in
water.
• do not conduct an
electric current.

Copyright © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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Why Nonelectrolyte does not
conduct electricity?

No cations (+) and anions (-) in solution

H2O
C6H12O6 (s) C6H12O6 (aq)

4.1