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Chapter 2: Problem 7

Why does distilled water not conduct electricity, whereas rain water does?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Distilled water lacks ions, while rain water contains dissolved ions that allow it to conduct electricity.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding Distilled Water

Distilled water is pure water that has had impurities such as salts and minerals removed through a process of distillation.
02

- Conductivity and Ions

Electrical conductivity in water is due to the presence of ions. Ions are charged particles that can carry an electric current.
03

- Lack of Ions in Distilled Water

Since distilled water has had its impurities removed, it lacks the ions required to conduct electricity.
04

- Composition of Rain Water

Rain water, on the other hand, is not pure. It contains dissolved substances from the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide (forming weak carbonic acid), and other minerals and impurities.
05

- Presence of Ions in Rain Water

These dissolved substances in rain water form ions when they dissolve in water, which allows rain water to conduct electricity.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

distilled water
Distilled water is a form of purified water that has had most of its impurities removed through the process of distillation. Distillation involves heating water to create steam. This steam is then cooled and condensed back into liquid form, leaving behind the majority of solid contaminants and dissolved salts. Because of this purification process, distilled water is essentially just H2O molecules, with a very low concentration of ions or other impurities. Without these ions, distilled water doesn’t conduct electricity well. This is because ions, which are charged particles, are necessary to carry the electric current from one point to another.
ions in water
Ions are atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge. These charged particles are essential for the electrical conductivity of water. When salts and minerals dissolve in water, they separate into ions. For example, table salt (sodium chloride) dissolves into sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-). These ions are free to move in the water and can carry electric current. In the case of distilled water, the absence of such ions means that there are no charged particles to move the current, making it a poor conductor of electricity.
rain water impurities
Rain water, although often considered pure, contains various impurities it picks up as it falls through the atmosphere. It dissolves substances like carbon dioxide, which can form weak carbonic acid. Additionally, rain water can collect dust particles, pollen, and other airborne materials. As rainwater passes through these impurities, they dissolve into ions, such as hydrogen ions (H+) and carbonate ions (CO3^2-). These ions increase the electrical conductivity of rain water. Consequently, even though rainwater is relatively clean compared to some other natural water sources, it still conducts electricity due to these dissolved ions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which one of the following types of medicines is used for treating indigestion? (a) Antibiotic (b) Analgesic (c) Antacid (d) Antiseptic

A solution turns red litmus blue, its \(\mathrm{pH}\) is likely to be (a) 1 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 10

Give two important uses of washing soda and baking soda.

A milkman adds a very small amount of baking soda to fresh milk. (a) Why does he shift the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline? (b) Why does this milk take a long time to set as curd?

Five solutions \(A, B, C, D\) and \(E\) when tested with universal indicator showed \(\mathrm{pH}\) as \(4,1,11,7\) and 9 , respectively. Which solution is (a) neutral? (b) strongly alkaline? (c) strongly acidic? (d) weakly acidic? (e) weakly alkaline? Arrange the pH in increasing order of hydrogen-ion concentration.
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