Is pure water is a good or bad conductor of electricity?

Answer 1

No - it is not.

For something to conduct electricity, it must have atoms or molecules inside it which are charged (so that they can carry the current from one side to the other). Water has no charged molecules. H20 is neutral (although occasionally it can ionise, but we can ignore that). And so it will only conduct if something charged is dissolved in it (for example table salt).

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Short Answer:
Pure water conducts electricity to a very very small degree. It is so small that most people say that pure water does not conduct electricity, though it is somewhat of an exaggeration to say it is an insulator.


Explanation:
Drinking water conducts electricity about a thousand times better than pure water.
Sea water conducts electricity about a million times better than pure water.

The conductivity of water is due to dissolved ions. In salt water, these is Na+ and Cl-. When a voltage is applied, the ions feel the force of the electric field and they move. It is the movement of charged ions that the electric current.

Pure water does not have these dissolved ions. The only ions in pure water are from the dissociation of water molecules, i.e H+ and OH-. That is why we say pure water has a pH of 7, i.e. the concentration of solvated hydrogen ions in pure water is 1 part in 10 million. (An equal number of OH-.)

The conductivity of pure water then relies on this very small concentration of charged hydrogen and hydroxy ions and so that pure water conductivity is accordingly very small. It is not zero however, so pure water does indeed conduct electricity.

Answer 3

Pure water is a poor conductor of electricity because it contains very few ions that can carry electric charge. However, if water has impurities or dissolved ions, it can conduct electricity to some extent.

Answer 4

Tap water conducts electricity because of the minerals it contains. Pure, or more accurately, distilled water contains almost no minerals for a charge to travel through.

Answer 5

No. It is the impurities in the water (like salt) that make it conductive. no,pure water is not at all conductive but impurities present in determine its conductivity..

Answer 6

No, but it becomes conductive once and ion is dissolved in it.
dirty water or salt water is a great conductor. pure water is not a conducter

Answer 7

Pure water comparatively is not a good conductor of electricity as opposed to water containing minerals and electrolytes

Answer 8

Pure water will not conduct an electric current. There must be ions present in the water to carry the current.

Answer 9

pure water is an insulator.