Why don't ionic compounds have electrical conductivity as a solid but they do as a liquid? | Socratic (2024)

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Why don't ionic compounds have electrical conductivity as a solid but they do as a liquid? | Socratic? ›

In the molten state, the ions are free to move around to conduct electricity. Ions are charged particles and donot conduct electricity when in solid state because the ions are not free to move. However when in molten or dissolved the ions are then free to move and they conduct electricity.

Ionic compounds do not conduct electricity in solid state as the ions are not free to move. Ionic compounds conduct as liquids or when in solution as the ions are free to move. Covalent molecular compounds exist as liquids or gases at room temperature since they have low melting and boiling points.

Ionic solids are poor conductors of electricity because the ions are not free to move past one another. This is because the strong electrostatic forces of attraction -- that is, the ionic bonds between the oppositely charged ions -- do not allow the ions to move from one region to another in the solid.

In solid form, an ionic compound is not electrically conductive because its ions are unable to flow (“electricity” is the flow of charged particles). When molten, however, it can conduct electricity because its ions are able to move freely through the liquid (Figure 7.1.

Reason: In solid NaCl, the ions have fixed positions in the lattice structure and there are no free ions but in aqueous solution or molten state, the ions can move freely and thus conduct electricity.

Ionic compounds conduct electricity when they are in a molten state or aqueous state. In an aqueous state or molten state, ions are free to move. Hence, Ionic Compounds conduct electricity.

Ionic compounds can only conduct electricity when molten or dissolved because only then are the ions of the compound able to move and carry charge. Ionic compounds are unable to conduct electricity when solid because the ions are fixed in place and unable to carry charge.

Ions can conduct electricity in solutions because they are able to move. In water, conductivity comes from the passing of electricity between ions, therefore when sodium (Na+) and chlorine (Cl-) form sodium chloride in saltwater, more electricity is carried, and therefore the conductivity increases.

Cations move to one electrode, while anions move to the other, allowing electricity to flow (see figure below). Melting an ionic compound also frees the ions to conduct a current. Ionic compounds conduct an electric current when melted or dissolved in water.

Why are ionic compounds poor conductors of electricity in the solid phase? In an ionic solid the ions are tightly held in fixed positions within the lattice, thus they are unable to move and carry charge. Why are ionic compounds good conductors of electricity when molten?

What substance does not conduct electricity as a solid but does conduct? ›

Ionic solids do not conduct electricity; however, they do conduct when molten or dissolved because their ions are free to move. Many simple compounds formed by the reaction of a metallic element with a nonmetallic element are ionic.

Solid ionic compounds are poor conductors of electricity. The strong bonds between their oppositely charged ions lock them into place in the crystal. Therefore, the charged particles cannot move freely and carry electric current, which is a flow of charge. But all that changes when ionic compounds dissolve in water.

The ionic compounds dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. The solution of ionic compounds in water is an electrical conductor because the ions can move around in the solution, as illustrated in Fig. 5.3.

The presence of hydrogen ions in an aqueous acid solution causes it to conduct electricity. Only in the presence of ions can electricity be conducted. Their heated nature is the cause behind this. Anions and cations are released as the acid dissociates into the aqueous solution.

One thing is that the ionic compound in gas form will be like neutral molecules hence lose their ability to conduct electricity. Unless a strong electric field is applied and rips their ionic bond.

Once dissolved or melted, ionic compounds are excellent conductors of electricity and heat because the ions can move about freely.

When an ionic compound is in a solid phase, the ions are regularly arranged and fixed into position in a giant ionic lattice. As the ions cannot move unless the structure is broken down, solid ionic compounds cannot conduct electricity and therefore cannot undergo the process of electrolysis.

In the solid state, ionic compounds such as sodium chloride have their ions fixed in position and therefore these ions cannot move so solid ionic compounds cannot conduct electricity.

There are no delocalized electrons in iodine, and no ions, so there are no charge carriers and iodine cannot conduct electricity.

Ions dissolved in water are free to carry charge because they are charged particles and can move in the solution. In the solid state the ions cannot move and the electrons cannot move either because they are bound to the ions.