View Full Version : Need conductivity help
medicmomx3
Sep 24, 2010, 12:04 PM
Where can I find whether the following compounds will conduct electricity in the solid state and as an aqueous solution? Sodium chloride, acetaminophen, oxalic acid, sucrose, acetylsalicylic acid, sodium borate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate
DrBob1
Sep 24, 2010, 01:00 PM
Look in the index and glossary of your textbook for "ELECTROLYTES" and "NONELECTROLYTES" and then give us your thoughts.
Unknown008
Sep 24, 2010, 01:02 PM
And you should know what are the prerequisites for a substance to conduct electricity :)
medicmomx3
Sep 24, 2010, 01:22 PM
I have already looked all through my lecture textbook. I looked under electrolytes, metals, electricity, conductivity.
DrBob1
Sep 24, 2010, 03:04 PM
medicmomx3 : I understand that metals conduct and non-metals don't conduct in the solid form due to the free floating ions and that in an aqueous solution electrolytes will conduct and non-electrolytes won't conduct due to whether or not they disassociate.
Are any metals on your list? That's answered.
Which of your compounds are electrolytes and which aren't. Which disassociate and which ones don't? Where do you still need help?
Unknown008
Sep 25, 2010, 12:45 AM
Yes, that's correct. Now, you have to look which non metals dissociate in water. As you said yourself, if they dissociate, they'll conduct electricity. You'll need to know the solubility of your salts.
Such as...
All chlorides are soluble in water, except PbCl2 and AgCl,
All nitrates are soluble in water,
All potassium, sodium and ammonium salts are soluble in water,
etc.
Post what you think!
And could you please type your answer in the answer box instead of using the comment button? Thanks! :)