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Salt water is a pretty good conductor of electricity. Its not as good as a metal but still is far from being an insulator. Pure water does not conduct electricity well at all.

The reason salt water conducts electricity is because the NaCl (sodium chloride, aka table salt) breaks apart into a positively charged Na+ and a negatively charged Chlorine Cl-. When voltage is applied, the charged ions feel the force of the electric field created and they move. Instead of electrons then, the current is the moving ions. The more salt you put into the water, the better it conducts electricity. (Pure water is actually and poor conductor because the only ions it has are the residual H+ and OH- that form in neutral water and are the reason we say water has a pH of 7.)

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Why would seawater be a better conductor of electricity than river water?

Water is actually a weak insulator and does not transmit current well unless it has ions in it, like saltwater does. Seaweeds are limited in their abilities to conduct electricity per se, but as they come from saltwater, the salts still present on their "leaves" conduct relatively well.


What makes a fruit or vegetable conduct electricity?

The water inside the fruit or the vegetable, makes it conduct electricity.


Is juice an a conductor?

Yes, all impure solutions of water containing salts are conductive to some degree, in addition many juices are acidic, and many acidic water solutions are conductive.


Can pepper conduct electricity?

insulator


Why water does not conduct electricity but can be use as an Electrolyte in electrolysis to form hydrogen and oxygen gas?

Water H2O contains the 2 elements hydrogen and oxygen. These two elements cannot conduct electricity althought they are in their pure state. Consider Sodium Chloride in the aqueous or molten state. This compound can conduct electricity in the aqueous state because in contains Sodium which is a metal and a good conductor of electricity.Whereas water being already aqueous it cannot conduct electricity due to the absence of metal in its compound, therefore it cannot be an electrolyte.Note: It is said that water is a conductor of electricity. The main reason is that the water we drink or use for domestic purposes have minerals(metallic solids) present. But i think that these minerals are neglagible in the case of electrolysis.

Related Questions

Which kind of water conduct the most electricity salt water or pure water?

Salt water


Does salt water need a battery to conduct electricity?

no it dosent because the salt water cuts off the electricity


What would conduct with electricity when mixed with water?

salt


Did salt with water conduct electricity?

Yes still it does


Can electricity pass through salted water?

yes electricity can pass through salt water .salt is an ionic compound which can conduct electricity


Why can a solution of salt water conduct electricity but a solid salt cannot?

Water is a better conductor.


Does pure water conduct any electricity at all?

No, pure water does not conduct electricity because there are no other solutions present. For the water to conduct electricity, there has to be an electrolyte. Salt water, Tap water, and sugar water do conduct a little electricity because they contain soluble ionic compounds.


What will conduct electricity when mixed with water?

Water will conduct electricity if salt NaCl is dissolved in it. The conductivity is proportional to the salt concentration, and 3% gives a conductivity of 5 S/m, as in sea water.


Which tipe of elements conduct electricity the best?

I would say that salt water would conduct electricity best.


Is there a difference in electric transfer between solid salt and salt water?

Yes. Solid salt does not conduct electricity, but salt water does.


What would conduct electricity when mixed with water salt oxygen sugar or oil?

salt


Would salt sugar oil or oxygen conduct electricity when mixed with water?

salt