Some substances, when dissolved in water, undergo either a physical or a chemic alter that results in elective cations and anions in the solution. This procedure of dissociation of a substance into its ions is known equally ionization and the substances that undergo ionization are called electrolytes. Substances that do not ionize when dissolved in water are called nonelectrolytes.

Depending upon the extent or degree of ionization, the electrolytes are divided into ii types:

Strong electrolytes are the chemic substances that ionize completely when dissolved in water, whereas weak electrolytes merely ionize partially. This means that the principal species in solution for strong electrolytes are ions, while the principal species in solution for weak electrolytes is the un-ionized chemical compound itself.

Types of electrolytes - Strong vs Weak Electrolyte in image form

Stiff vs. Weak Electrolytes

Strong electrolyte Weak electrolyte
Strong electrolytes ionize completely when dissolved in water Weak electrolytes ionize partially in h2o
There is 100% ionization, and so the principal species are the ions of the electrolytes in the solution The ionization is less, roughly 1-ten%. The principal species in solution for weak electrolytes is the unionized electrolyte itself
Solutions containing a stiff electrolyte volition have high electrical conductivity Solutions containing a weak electrolyte will have low electrical electrical conductivity
Ostwald'due south dilution law is not applicable Ostwald's dilution law is applicable
Stiff acids, potent bases, and salts (except some) are strong electrolytes Weak acids and weak bases are weak electrolytes
HCl, NaCl, NaOH are some examples of strong electrolytes

HF and NHthree are some examples of weak electrolytes

Weak Electrolytes and their Examples

The substances which ionize up to a small extent into ions are called weak electrolytes. The molecules of a weak electrolyte are in equilibrium with its ions in a solution. Therefore, the equation which involves the ionization of weak electrolytes is represented with double-headed arrows, significant, the reaction is reversible, such as,

NH3 + H2O ⇌ NH4 + + OH–

CH3COOH + H2O ⇌ HthreeO+ + CHthreeCOO–

Examples of weak electrolytes include acetic acid (CH3COOH), carbonic acid (H2COthree), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and pyridine (C2HfiveN), etc.

Strong Electrolytes and their Examples

The substances which ionize completely into ions are known every bit strong electrolytes. Here the unionized molecules (electrolytes) are present in such a small amount that they tin be neglected. Also, they are not of whatever significance to written report the ionization constant of strong electrolytes. Unlike the weak electrolytes, the equation for the ionization of strong electrolytes is non represented with double-headed arrows, such as,

HCl + HtwoO → H3O+ + Cl–

HNO3 + H2O → HthreeO+ + NO3 –

Examples of strong electrolytes are HCl, NaOH, NaCl, H2SO4, KBr, etc. A list of further examples is provided in the lower section of this article.

Related topics

  • Oxidation vs. Reduction
  • Randles-Sevcik equation
  • Rules for assigning oxidation numbers

How to Categorize the Electrolytes

Substances may be categorized equally strong, weak, or nonelectrolytes past studying their electric conductance in an aqueous solution. The solution volition conduct electricity if information technology contains free and charged ions. The nonelectrolytes are out of the discussion here as their aqueous solution would non behave current due to the lack of charged species.

Information technology is of import to note that the conductivity of an electrolyte solution is related to the strength of the electrolyte. This means that the greater the ionic concentration of the solution there is, the greater volition be the conduction. So, upon applying a voltage to electrodes immersed in a solution, one shall find out the ionic concentration quantitatively; by measuring the electric current, or by observing the effulgence of a low-cal seedling included in the circuit (such lite is used in spectroscopic techniques to quantify data).

Types of electrolytes - Strong vs Weak vs non Electrolyte

The quantitative applications of electrolysis imply colorimeters connected by salt bridges. Such applications pb to galvanic cells, electrochemical cells, standard electrode systems, Nelson cell, Down cell, etc.

Cardinal Takeaways

Types of electrolytes - Strong vs Weak Electrolyte in image form

Concepts Berg

Give a list of strong electrolytes.

Potent acids are strong electrolytes:

  • Hydrochloric acid, HCl
  • Hydroiodic acid, Hullo
  • Hydrobromic acid, HBr
  • Nitric acid, HNO3
  • Sulfuric acid, HiiSO4
  • Chloric acrid, HClO3
  • Perchloric acrid, HClOiv
  • Lithium hydroxide, LiOH

Potent bases are potent electrolytes:

  • Sodium hydroxide, NaOH
  • Potassium hydroxide, KOH
  • Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)two
  • Barium hydroxide, Ba(OH)2

Examples of some salts every bit strong electrolytes:

  • Sodium chloride, NaCl
  • Magnesium sulfate, MgSO4
  • Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3
  • Calcium chloride, CaCl2
  • Potassium bromide (KBr)
  • Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
  • Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), etc

How to know if a chemical is an electrolyte?

Electrolytes dissociate into ions when added to h2o. If a chemical is an electrolyte information technology must dissociate whether weak or strong.

Is CH3COOH a weak or potent electrolyte?

Acerb acid, CH3COOH is a weak electrolyte because it is a weak acid.

How can you tell if an electrolyte is strong or weak?

Depending on the extent of ionization in water, the electrolyte can be regarded as strong or weak. The more ionization, the stronger the electrolyte.

Is NHiii a weak or strong electrolyte?

Ammonia, NHiii is a weak electrolyte because it is a weak base.

Is HCl a stiff or weak electrolyte?

HCl is a stiff electrolyte as it is a strong acid.

Why tin't pure water be used as an electrolyte?

Water cannot be used as an electrolyte because pure water is not an electrolyte. The mutual concept of water being an electrolyte is due to the impurities nowadays, that make it ionize itself, leading to electrolysis and beingness an electrolyte.

Is NaOH a strong or weak electrolyte?

Sodium hydroxide, NaOH is a strong base, then, it is a stiff electrolyte also.

Potent vs weak electrolyte electrical conductivity

The greater the force of the electrolyte, the college will be the conductivity. This is because strong electrolyte solutions take more than gratis-charged species (ions).

What is the deviation between electrolyte and nonelectrolyte?

Electrolytes are substances that ionize in solutions and form ions whereas nonelectrolytes do not ionize when added into water or other solvents.

References

  • Foundations of College Chemistry, (Alternating Thirteenth edition) by Morris Hein (Mount San Antonio College), Susan Loonshit (University of Illinois, Urbana, Champaign)
  • Introduction to Environmental Geotechnology by Hsai-Yang Fang (Lehigh Academy, Pennsylvania)
  • General Chemical science Principles and Structure| 3rd edition, byJames Due east. Brandy (St. John'southward University, Jamaica, New York) andGerard E. Humiston (Widener University, West Chester, Pennsylvania) – [SI version, Prepared by Henry Heikkinen (University of Maryland, Us)]
  • Electrolytes (Opentextbc.ca)
  • Classifying Electrolytes (Stolaf.edu)

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