If an ionic compound is water-soluble, it is an electrolyte. Explain why.

Ionic compounds are key players in the fascinating world of chemistry. At their core, these compounds are made up of ions — atoms or molecules with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. The spectacle begins when oppositely charged ions, namely cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged), come together. Their electrostatic attraction, much like magnets, forms a strong bond holding them together in a crystalline structure. This attraction is so profound that it influences the compound's melting point, boiling point, and solubility.

But the true magic happens when these ionic compounds meet water. Soluble ionic compounds break their stoic bonds, throwing cations and anions into the embrace of water molecules. Here, water acts as a solvent because of its polar nature — the slight positive charges on hydrogen and slight negative charges on oxygen interact with the ions, coaxing them apart and into solution. The result is a substance fundamentally altered, existing now as free ions dispersed in water, a trait essential for the next concept we explore: the conductivity of electrolytes.

Imagine electrolytes as the highway of electrical currents in solutions. The term 'electrolyte' refers not just to sports drinks, but to any substance that, when dissolved, gives rise to freely moveable ions and hence an electrically conductive solution. It's a fascinating display of how matter interacts with energy: Ions, liberated from their solid lattice in an ionic compound, now move with purpose in water, making them capable minions for transmitting electric charges.

The real flair of this process lies in electrolytes' ability to turn a non-conducting liquid, like pure water, into an environment where an electric buzz can thrive. The dissolved ions are charged parties - the cations shimmying toward the negatively charged electrode while anions moonwalk to the positive electrode. These movements, or ionic migrations, are not mere jives and twirls; they are actions that allow the flow of electricity, making the solution light up a bulb, for instance, or kick-start a chemical reaction. Enhanced conductivity is why electrolytes are the heart-throbs in batteries, fuel cells, and our very own nervous system.

Now let's bridge the gap with water-soluble compounds and their heart-warming ability to dissolve in water. When we talk about solubility, we're pondering over a compound's capability to become one with a solvent — in this case, water, our universal solvent. The criteria for solubility are quite the match-making process, depending on the chemical structure and polarity of the solute and solvent. Water-soluble compounds have areas of positive and negative charge that attract the polar water molecules.

In an almost ceremonial dance, water molecules surround the solute ions or molecules, isolating them and pulling them into the solvent matrix. This performance not only gives us dissolved compounds but also potential electrolytes — compounds that will now, as their ions are free to roam in solution, conduct electricity. And so, this tale of attraction and liberation doesn't just end with compounds scattered in water; it's the beginning of electrolytic adventures, where water-soluble compounds prove their worth by conducting power through the fluid fabric of their new watery realm.