WHY DOES ELECTROLYTIC CONDUCTANCE INCREASES WITH DILUTION ?
Introduction:
Electrolytic conductance refers to the ability of an electrolyte solution to conduct electricity. It depends on the concentration of ions present in the solution. When electrolytes are dissolved in a solvent such as water, they dissociate into ions, which are responsible for conducting electric current. The conductance of an electrolyte solution increases with dilution due to several factors.
Reasons for the increase in electrolytic conductance with dilution:
1. Increased number of ions:
Dilution of an electrolyte solution involves adding more solvent to decrease the concentration of the solute. As a result, the number of ions in the solution increases. This increase in the number of ions leads to a higher conductivity of the solution. The more ions present in the solution, the greater the potential for electric current to flow.
2. Enhanced ion mobility:
Dilution of an electrolyte solution reduces the inter-ionic attractions, allowing the ions to move more freely. The increased mobility of ions results in a higher conductivity. When the concentration of ions is high, they tend to associate with each other, forming ion pairs or clusters. These associations hinder the movement of ions and decrease the conductivity. Dilution disrupts these associations, allowing individual ions to move more easily and carry electric charge.
3. Reduction of ion-ion interactions:
At higher concentrations, the ions in an electrolyte solution experience stronger electrostatic interactions with each other due to their closer proximity. These ion-ion interactions impede the movement of ions, leading to lower conductivity. Dilution reduces the concentration of ions, thereby reducing the ion-ion interactions and promoting ion mobility.
4. Decreased viscosity:
Dilution of an electrolyte solution reduces its viscosity. Viscosity is a measure of the resistance to flow. A lower viscosity allows ions to move more easily through the solution, leading to increased conductance. The decrease in viscosity with dilution is attributed to the decrease in intermolecular interactions between the ions and solvent molecules.
Conclusion:
In summary, the electrolytic conductance of a solution increases with dilution due to the increased number of ions, enhanced ion mobility, reduction of ion-ion interactions, and decreased viscosity. Dilution disrupts the ion associations, increases ion mobility, and reduces the resistance to ion movement, resulting in a higher conductivity of the electrolyte solution.
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