Which (if any) of the following compounds are electrolytes? (a) glucose, \(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{6}\) (b) ethanol, \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\). (c) magnesium sulfide, \(\mathrm{MgS}\). (d) sulfur hexafluoride, \(\mathrm{SF}_{6}\).

Short Answer

Expert verified
a) glucose (\(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{6}\)), b) ethanol (\(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\)), c) magnesium sulfide (\(\mathrm{MgS}\)), or d) sulfur hexafluoride (\(\mathrm{SF}_{6}\))? Answer: Magnesium sulfide (\(\mathrm{MgS}\)) is an electrolyte.

Step by step solution

01

(a) Analyzing glucose, \(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{6}\)

Glucose is a simple carbohydrate with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{6}\). As glucose is a sugar, it can dissolve in water to form a solution, but it does not dissociate into ions able to conduct electricity. Hence, glucose is not an electrolyte.
02

(b) Analyzing ethanol, \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\)

Ethanol is an alcohol with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\). Although ethanol dissolves in water, it does not dissociate into ions that can conduct electricity. Therefore, ethanol is not an electrolyte.
03

(c) Analyzing magnesium sulfide, \(\mathrm{MgS}\)

Magnesium sulfide is an ionic compound with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{MgS}\). When dissolved in water, it dissociates into magnesium cations (\(\mathrm{Mg}^{2+}\)) and sulfide anions (\(\mathrm{S}^{2-}\)), both of which can conduct electricity. Therefore, magnesium sulfide is an electrolyte.
04

(d) Analyzing sulfur hexafluoride, \(\mathrm{SF}_{6}\)

Sulfur hexafluoride is a covalent compound with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{SF}_{6}\). Sulfur hexafluoride does not dissolve in water, and it does not dissociate into ions that can conduct electricity. Hence, sulfur hexafluoride is not an electrolyte. To summarize, only magnesium sulfide (\(\mathrm{MgS}\)) is an electrolyte among the given compounds.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free