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Chapter 4: Problem 11

The passage of electricity through an electrolyte solution is caused by the movement of (a) electrons only, (b) cations only, (c) anions only, (d) both cations and anions.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The passage of electricity through an electrolyte solution is caused by the movement of both cations and anions.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding of electrons, cations and anions

Electrons are subatomic particles with a negative charge. They are involved in electrical conductivity as they are the particles that move through a conductor to create a current. Cations and anions, on the other hand, are ions. An ion is an atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. Specifically, cations are positively charged ions (having fewer electrons than protons) and anions are negatively charged ions (having more electrons than protons).
02

Understanding how an electrolyte conducts electricity

When an electrolyte is dissolved in a polar solvent like water, it dissociates into its component ions. This means it splits up into cations and anions. When an electric current is applied across the solution, the cations move towards the negative electrode (cathode), and the anions move towards the positive electrode (anode). This movement of charged particles constitutes the electric current in the electrolyte solution.
03

Identifying which particles cause the passage of electricity through an electrolyte solution

Considering the detailed understanding obtained in the previous steps, it's clear that in the solution, it's not the electrons moving around (like in a metal wire) but rather the ions (cations and anions) moving towards their respective electrodes. Therefore, the passage of electricity through an electrolyte solution is caused by the movement of both cations and anions.

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