The+Conductivity+of+Aqueous+solutions

The conductivity of aqueous solution

Therefore, when those electrons flow from atom to atom, an electrical current is formed!
=== When an electron is attached to an atom, another electron is lost, and it would attach to another atom. The “flow” of electrons will form a “chain”. Electricity is “passed” from atom to atom as the “charge” is “passed” from atom to atom. ===

Relax your brain a little bit… How is this science connected to real life? Scientists and engineers do…
=== They first learn some ways to remove electrons from atoms; therefore, they “purposely” make the atoms imbalanced. As a result, since all atoms want to be balanced and become stable, they would want to have more electrons so that they can balance their protons and become neutral. Thus, those positively charged atoms will be looking for free electrons in order to fill the place of the missing electron. In the meantime, those free electrons are also looking for an imbalanced atom. Since those electrons are negative, they carry negative charges. ===

Nevertheless, let’s continue… Listen up, here’s the tricky thing…
=== Since those electrons and positively-charged atoms want to “sort things out”, they want each other very much. In other words, there’s a strong attraction between those negatively charged electrons and positively charged atoms. ===

=== Where does the word “electrons” come from? Look at these words and tell me what you can find out: electricity, electrons, electronic… Yes, all of those words start with “elctr” It means “beaming sun” in Greek. And the word “electrons” means “amber” ===

=== Here’s a critical thinking question that I hope can make your brain relax more… How do you think those words’ meanings in Greek relate to the words? If you want to know the answer, look it up, it’s very interesting, but I won’t tell you here…. ===

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===Before we move on… **Some things conduct electricity better than some other things do.** By measuring the resistance, we can tell who can conduct electricity better. **Having high resistance means the “thing” doesn’t conduct electricity very well. Some extra knowledge, if you would like to know…. Those resistances will turn into heat! Moving on, if we are talking about the case of aqueous solutions** ===

=== Case One: Ionization Eg. HCN When it dissolves in water, HCN (g) à H+ (aq)+CN-(aq) There are no ions present until the solvent breaks the molecule of HCN apart into ions. -Thus, acids begin with H do conduct electricity. ===

=== Case Two: Dissociation Dissociation takes place in ionic compounds. Ionic compound are composed of two or more ions held together by electrical attraction Eg. NaCl (s) à Na+(aq) +Cl-(aq) Before the dissociation takes place, there ready have ions present. When the ionic compounds dissolve in water, water will pull the negative ions and positive ions apart from each other. The ions will then “wander” all over the water. Therefore, a flow of electricity can be fulfilled. ===

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The ions will act like the “boats” that carry the “goods” (electricity) from one “port” to another “port” (the electrodes (conducting wires))
=== Case Three: No ions involve Eg. Pure acetone (CH3COCH3) When alcohol dissolves in water, no ions will form. Even if the it’s a liquid alcohol, since there are no ions, it will not conduct electricity. ===

-General rules:
===---when the compounds stat with a carbon atom, (organic compounds), normally no ionic solution in water can be formed. (an exception: CH3COOH, acetic acid) ===

=__ In the cases of an ionic substance… __=

= __ In the cases of acids and bases… __ = What is an acid? -Two cases: --End in __COOH__ (eg, CH3__COOH__)

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