Conductivity of Ionic Solutions

In this article, you will get to know about molar conductivity. What is the ionic solution? Moreover, the ways to determine the conductivity of ionic solutions. At first, we will understand the two types of compounds, namely, ionic and covalent.

 

The properties of ionic and covalent compounds vary according to different factors, which we will be discussing in this article. Let us first understand what ionic solutions are and any difference between ions and electrolytes. So, let us dive in together. 

Ionic solutions

 

The ionic solution is defined as the type of solution that contains ions for the conduction of electricity through them. Whenever an electrolyte breaks into a solution, it disintegrates into ions. The electrolytes which break into ions can only conduct electricity in molten or aqueous forms. These types of ions do not conduct electricity in the solid form. There are various ionic solutions like KNO3, NaCl, KCl, etc. 

Factors affecting the conductivity of Ionic Solutions

 

The conductivity of ionic solutions helps in the formation of batteries and other important devices. The conductivity of an ionic solution depends on various factors. 

• Concentration of Ions

The main reason behind the conduction of electricity is the ions. As you increase the number of ions in a solution, the conductivity of these solutions will also increase. Due to the increased number of ions, there will be more carriers of charge, which will help the solution conduct better. 

• Nature of Electrolyte

The nature of electrolytes varies with the conductance of ionic solution. As there will be more dissociation of ions in the solution, there will be an increase in the number of ions in the solution, which indicates the name conductivity of ionic solutions. Let us take an example of the compound CH3COOH. The acetic acid has a very small degree of separation, which is why there are fewer ions of acetic acid in the solution.

 

All compounds of these types with a small degree of separation fall into the category of weak electrolytes. However, the electrolytes like KNO3 have a high degree of dissociation, due to which they can easily break into ions. The solution would contain more ions as compared to other solutions. These types of solutions that contain compounds of a high degree of dissociation are termed good ionic solutions. 

• Temperature

Temperature plays a crucial role in the formation of an ionic solution. According to the observations, if you increase the temperature of a solution, then better will be the solubility of ions in the solution. The more solubility of ions will result in increased ionic conduction. 

Molar conductivity

 

When you dissolve one mole of an electrolyte in a solution, the power of conducting a solution is termed molar conductivity. The molar conductivity of ionic solution depends upon various factors. To calculate the conducting electricity of an ionic solution, molar conductivity comes into play. The formula of molar conductivity is.