Are electrolytes good conductors in aqueous solution?

• A. No, they do not ionize
• B. Yes, because they ionize in water and conduct electricity
• C. Only if they are strong acids
• D. Only at high temperatures

Answer: (B)

Electrical conduction in solutions comes from ions. Electrolytes are substances that, when dissolved in water, dissociate into positive and negative ions that can move freely. Those mobile charges carry electric current, so the solution conducts electricity. Therefore electrolytes are good conductors in aqueous solution. The degree of ionization matters: strong electrolytes ionize completely and produce many ions with high conductivity; weak electrolytes ionize only partially and conduct less; non-electrolytes do not ionize and don't conduct. Temperature can increase conductivity by boosting ion mobility (and ionization for some substances), but the essential reason is the presence of ions in the solution.