Why does sugar dissolve in water but not conduct electricity?

Answer 1

I think it can be explained by the fact that when you put salt into water, salt molecules NaCl divide themselves into ions : Na+ and Cl- . As they carry an electrical charge, they are put in motion by the electrical field created by the generator (a battery for example), thus a current can flow in salted water and it is said that salted water conducts electricity. It's a bit the same thing in metals for electrons, which carry a negative charge. Sugar molecules do not divide themselves into ions when they are put into water, they remain neutral, so they cannot participate to conduction.

Sugar is a molecular compound which in most cases cannot conduct electricity underwater. The salt is ionic so it can conduct electricity underwater.(Kind of like a summary)

Answer 2

In water, the application of a voltage results in the movement of charges, but the charges are not nearly-free electrons as they are in metals. Rather the charges are ions (charged atoms or molecules). In pure water, the ions that are moving are the protons in the form of H3O+ and hydroxide ions, OH-. In other ionic solutions it is the dissolved ions themselves, for instance in salt water, sodium chloride dissociated into the ions Na+ and Cl-.

A solution of sugar doesn't ionise at all, while table salt ionises in two ions per molecule:

(NaCl)solid --> (Na+)aq + (Cl-)aq

Answer 3

For conductance of electricity there should be free ions to move towards respective electrode , in solid salt ions are held together in crystals and can not move freely in solutions crystals become dissolved and form free ions to move.

Answer 4

Sugar dissolves in water because water molecules disrupt the hydrogen bonds between the molecules and surround them, thus breaking the overall substance apart. Table salt, however is an ionic compound known as sodium chloride (formula NaCl). It is formed of ions, which are charged particles. These are broken apart in much the same way as sugar, but the ions in solution remain charged.

Electrical conduction is the movement of charged particles, referred to as charge carriers, in a given direction. Sugar is not charged, so its movement is not affected by a potential difference and it does not conduct electricity. When a salt solution has a potential difference applied to it, however, the charged particles move through the solution to the relevant electrodes, causing a current to be passed through it.

Answer 5

Sugar molecules are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms bonded covalently, so they do not dissociate into ions in water to conduct electricity. However, sugar can dissolve in water because of hydrogen bonding between sugar molecules and water molecules, which allows the sugar to be uniformly dispersed in the water solution.

Answer 6

Because sodium chloride is an ionic compound; in water solution, after dissociation, ions as Na+ and Cl- exist. Sugar is dissociated in water.

Answer 7

The salt solution is an electrolyte, contain ions; solid salt is neutral and not dissociated.

Answer 8

Water is a better conductor.