The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes.

Q: How do I revise The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes. for GCSE?

Read the notes on The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes., then test yourself without looking. Answering questions and checking what you missed builds recall faster than re-reading.

Q: Is this The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes. guide aligned to the AQA specification?

Yes. This guide is linked to the The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes. topic in the AQA GCSE specification.

In a solid ionic compound, the ions are held in a fixed lattice and cannot move, so the solid does not conduct electricity.

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Solid ionic compounds do not conduct electricity because their ions are fixed in a lattice and cannot move.
Melting an ionic compound breaks down the lattice and releases ions that are free to move.
Dissolving an ionic compound in water separates the ions so they are free to move in the solution.
Mobile ions carry charge through the liquid or solution, so the liquid or solution conducts electricity.
A liquid or solution that conducts electricity because of mobile ions is called an electrolyte.
During electrolysis, positive ions move to the negative electrode and negative ions move to the positive electrode.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Thinking that solid ionic compounds conduct electricity because they contain ions.
Put it right: The ions must be free to move, which they are not in the solid lattice.
Believing that electrons carry charge through the electrolyte.
Put it right: In the liquid or solution, it is the mobile ions that carry charge; electrons flow in the external circuit.
Assuming that all liquids conduct electricity.
Put it right: Only liquids or solutions containing mobile ions, called electrolytes, conduct.

Exam tips

When explaining conduction, always link the structure to the movement of ions, for example 'the ions are free to move and carry charge'.
Use the term 'electrolyte' correctly for a liquid or solution that conducts electricity because of mobile ions.
If asked why a solid does not conduct, refer to the fixed positions of ions in the lattice rather than saying there are no ions.

Try the lesson

The start of the The process of electrolysis: When an ionic compound is melted or dissolved in water, the ions are free to move about within the liquid or solution. These liquids and solutions are able to conduct electricity and are called electrolytes. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

Which statement explains why a molten ionic compound can conduct electricity?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

In a solid ionic compound, the ions are held in a fixed lattice and cannot move, so the solid does not conduct electricity. When the compound is melted or dissolved in water, the lattice breaks down and the ions become free to move within the liquid or solution. These mobile ions carry charge through the liquid, allowing it to conduct electricity. Such liquids and solutions are called electrolytes. For example, solid sodium chloride does not conduct, but molten sodium chloride and sodium chloride solution both conduct because Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions can move. During electrolysis, positive ions move towards the negative electrode and negative ions move towards the positive electrode. The ability to conduct depends on the presence of mobile ions, not on the compound being an ionic solid. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Solid ionic compounds do not conduct electricity because their ions are fixed in a lattice and cannot move. Melting an ionic compound breaks down the lattice and releases ions that are free to move. Dissolving an ionic compound in water separates the ions so they are free to move in the solution. Mobile ions carry charge through the liquid or solution, so the liquid or solution conducts electricity. A common slip: Thinking that solid ionic compounds conduct electricity because they contain ions. Instead, the ions must be free to move, which they are not in the solid lattice. Exam tip: When explaining conduction, always link the structure to the movement of ions, for example 'the ions are free to move and carry charge'.

See it

A flowchart starting from a solid ionic compound. One branch shows that its ions are fixed in a lattice and cannot move, so the solid does not conduct electricity. Two other branches show the compound being melted, which breaks down the lattice and frees the ions, or dissolved in water, which frees the ions in the solution. Both of these lead to mobile ions carrying charge so the liquid conducts, and this is called an electrolyte. A final step states that during electrolysis positive ions move to the negative electrode and negative ions move to the positive electrode. — It shows why a solid ionic compound does not conduct while its melt or solution does, and how mobile ions make an electrolyte.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart starting from a solid ionic compound. One branch shows that its ions are fixed in a lattice and cannot move, so the solid does not conduct electricity. Two other branches show the compound being melted, which breaks down the lattice and frees the ions, or dissolved in water, which frees the ions in the solution. Both of these lead to mobile ions carrying charge so the liquid conducts, and this is called an electrolyte. A final step states that during electrolysis positive ions move to the negative electrode and negative ions move to the positive electrode.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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