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Chapter 4: Problem 105

Which of the following aqueous solutions would you expect to be the best conductor of electricity at \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C} ?\) Explain your answer. (a) \(0.20 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{NaCl}\) (b) \(0.60 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOH}\) (c) \(0.25 M \mathrm{HCl}\) (d) \(0.20 M \operatorname{Mg}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{2}\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The best conductor of electricity at \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C} \) would be the solution with Mg(NO3)2 because it forms the highest concentration of ions upon dissolving in water.

Step by step solution

01

Determine ion concentration

When a solute dissolves in water, it may form ions. For example, NaCl forms Na+ and Cl- ions, CH3COOH forms CH3COO- and H+ ions, HCl forms H+ and Cl- ions, and Mg(NO3)2 forms Mg2+ and 2 NO3- ions. The concentration of ions will be the molarity of the solute multiplied by the number of ions it forms.
02

Calculate ion concentration for each solution

Now, calculate the ion concentration for each solution: For NaCl, it's \(0.20 M \times 2 = 0.40 M\). For CH3COOH, it's \(0.60 M \times 2 = 1.20 M\). However, keep in mind that CH3COOH is a weak electrolyte and does not fully ionize in solution. For HCl, it's \(0.25 M \times 2 = 0.50 M\), and for Mg(NO3)2, it's \(0.20 M \times 3 = 0.60 M\).
03

Identify the solution with the highest ion concentration

Comparing the calculated ion concentrations, the Mg(NO3)2 solution produces the highest ion concentration. Therefore, we would expect this to be the best conductor.

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