Is it possible for a molecular substance to be a strong electrolyte? Explain.

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Understand the definition of an electrolyte: An electrolyte is a substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity.

Differentiate between strong and weak electrolytes: Strong electrolytes dissociate completely into ions in solution, while weak electrolytes only partially dissociate.

Recognize that molecular substances are typically covalent compounds, which do not usually dissociate into ions in solution.

Identify exceptions: Some molecular substances, like strong acids (e.g., HCl, HNO₃), can be strong electrolytes because they ionize completely in water.

Conclude that while most molecular substances are not strong electrolytes, certain molecular acids can be strong electrolytes due to their complete ionization in solution.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. They can be classified as strong or weak based on the extent of their ionization. Strong electrolytes completely dissociate into ions, while weak electrolytes only partially dissociate.

Molecular Substances

Molecular substances are compounds formed by covalent bonds between atoms, typically consisting of nonmetals. They exist as discrete molecules rather than as ions. Common examples include water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which do not conduct electricity in their pure form due to the lack of free ions.

Strong Electrolytes and Molecular Substances

While most strong electrolytes are ionic compounds, certain molecular substances can act as strong electrolytes if they ionize completely in solution. An example is sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which is a molecular compound that dissociates fully into ions in water, thus behaving as a strong electrolyte despite being molecular.

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Textbook Question

Individual solutions of Ba(OH)2 and H2SO4 both conduct electricity, but the conductivity disappears when equal molar amounts of the solutions are mixed. Explain.