Electrolytes: Definition, Examples, & Practice

To tell if a substance is an electrolyte or non-electrolyte we first need to know what type of compound we have and if it will produce ions when dissolved in water. --- Definition--- An electrolyte is: a substance that dissolves in water (or other polar solvent) to produce ions and a solution that conducts electricity. ----- Classifying Electrolytes ----- - Strong Electrolyte: completely dissociate in solution and conducts electricity. Soluble ionic compounds and strong acids are electrolytes. - Weak Electrolyte: partially dissociate in solution and poorly conduct electricity. - Non-Electrolytes: do not dissociate into ions and do not conduct electricity. Most molecular compounds are non-electrolytes. ----- More Definitions ----- - Strong Electrolyte: completely dissociate in solution and conducts electricity. Soluble ionic compounds and strong acids are electrolytes. - Weak Electrolyte: partially dissociate in solution and poorly conduct electricity. - Non-Electrolytes: do not dissociate into ions and do not conduct electricity. Most molecular compounds are non-electrolytes. ----- Helpful Resources ----- Metals, Non-Metals on the Periodic Table: https://youtu.be/OoooStZQHdA Ionic, Covalent, & Polar Covalent: https://youtu.be/OHFGXfWB_r4 Solubility Table: https://youtu.be/b0pDquyGSdk) Solubility Rules: https://youtu.be/zffVKN6tm7k Sports drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade, consist of primarily Potassium and Sodium electrolytes to provide hydration due to sweating. Other important electrolytes are chloride , calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. Drinks containing electrolytes are also used extensively in medicine for oral rehydration. More chemistry at www.breslyn.org .