ANSWERS: 17
  • Yes, water is an extremely good conductor of electricity.
  • Actually water -- pure water -- is a pretty poor conductor of electricity. But water containing impurities, especially salts, does pretty well.
  • Vey pure water is a very bad conductor of electricity, but even tiny amounts of ionic impurities can make it conduct. Seawater, for example, conducts water very well. In order to get rid of organic solvents which harm the ozone layer, electronic manufacturers have been washing things in very pure water, In this case, the conductivity of the water is a very good measure of how pure it is: as soon as it stats to conduct an appreciable amount of electricity, they know they have to change the water. Unless you know that it is extraordinarily pure, you should assume that water is conductive. Generally speaking, water and electricity *should not* mix.
  • Neither water nor salt water conducts electricity. They conduct IONS. Electricity is just the flow of electrons. Not the atoms themselves. Ion flow in an electrolyte does not involve electrons leaving atoms and going to new atoms, it involves the actual atoms migrating with net electrical charges. Very pure water has very, very few ions. It is something on the order of a 10^-7 molar solution of hydrogen and of hydroxyl ions. Adding something that ionizes in water (an acid, which provides hydrogen ions and negative ions of another type, a base, which provides hydroxyl ions and positive ions of another type, or salts which provide two different positive and negative ions) will increase the number of ions that are present to flow. It's as simple as that. Pure water APPEARS to conduct electricity badly simply because it has so few ions. Salt water APPEARS to conduct well because it has so many. The big observable difference between electrical current and ion flow is at the junction between the two. The ion eventually has to give UP its charge to become an electrical flow, and doing so involves an oxidation or reduction reaction, which means a chemical change, more often than not including a chemical change of the metal that is making contact with the liquid. True electrical conductivity does not involve chemical changes. Thus you never have to replace copper power lines because it has all oxidized through, or anything crazy like that.
  • Yes because water is a polar molecule and most polar molecules are good conductors of electricity.
  • Stand in the shower and try and dry your hair....actually don't do that it would be very stupid!!
  • yes very much so. be very careful that would be one painful mistake
  • I'm doing a science project eith my 8year old daughter about things that conduct electricity and we found out that 0ne cup of tap water will not conduct 6 volts of electricity,and adding 4tbsp 0f table salt to that same one cup of tap water did nothing. might need higher voltage....
  • Last night I answered this question incorrectly,with ample time the salt that was added dissolved and it did conduct the 6volts.The light lit up very weak but it did light.you can actually see the salt water bubbling where the electrons exit the metal probes.
  • No only with Salt or other mineral (but not a rock ) :)
  • As far as I am aware, pure water in itself is not a conductor of electricity. It is the chemicals and impurities in water that conduct the electricity. In water, chemicals break up in ions - for example, Sodium Chloride (NaCl - table salt) breaks up into Na+ ions and Cl- ions. The sodium has a positive charge and the chlorine has a negative charge. There may also be deposits of metals such as phosphorus or potassium, or even heavy metals such as lead and iron or aluminium. These particles and ions carry the charge of electricity.
  • Stand in the shower and try and dry your hair....actually don't do that it would be very stupid!!
  • Neither water nor salt water conducts electricity. They conduct IONS. Electricity is just the flow of electrons. Not the atoms themselves. Ion flow in an electrolyte does not involve electrons leaving atoms and going to new atoms, it involves the actual atoms migrating with net electrical charges. Very pure water has very, very few ions. It is something on the order of a 10^-7 molar solution of hydrogen and of hydroxyl ions. Adding something that ionizes in water (an acid, which provides hydrogen ions and negative ions of another type, a base, which provides hydroxyl ions and positive ions of another type, or salts which provide two different positive and negative ions) will increase the number of ions that are present to flow. It's as simple as that. Pure water APPEARS to conduct electricity badly simply because it has so few ions. Salt water APPEARS to conduct well because it has so many. The big observable difference between electrical current and ion flow is at the junction between the two. The ion eventually has to give UP its charge to become an electrical flow, and doing so involves an oxidation or reduction reaction, which means a chemical change, more often than not including a chemical change of the metal that is making contact with the liquid. True electrical conductivity does not involve chemical changes. Thus you never have to replace copper power lines because it has all oxidized through, or anything crazy like that. 21 Pts Rate Answer
  • Neither water nor salt water conducts electricity. They conduct IONS. Electricity is just the flow of electrons. Not the atoms themselves. Ion flow in an electrolyte does not involve electrons leaving atoms and going to new atoms, it involves the actual atoms migrating with net electrical charges. Very pure water has very, very few ions. It is something on the order of a 10^-7 molar solution of hydrogen and of hydroxyl ions. Adding something that ionizes in water (an acid, which provides hydrogen ions and negative ions of another type, a base, which provides hydroxyl ions and positive ions of another type, or salts which provide two different positive and negative ions) will increase the number of ions that are present to flow. It's as simple as that. Pure water APPEARS to conduct electricity badly simply because it has so few ions. Salt water APPEARS to conduct well because it has so many. The big observable difference between electrical current and ion flow is at the junction between the two. The ion eventually has to give UP its charge to become an electrical flow, and doing so involves an oxidation or reduction reaction, which means a chemical change, more often than not including a chemical change of the metal that is making contact with the liquid. True electrical conductivity does not involve chemical changes. Thus you never have to replace copper power lines because it has all oxidized through, or anything crazy like that. 17 Pts No, when you edit the question it doesn't affect your points -- but it does notify any commentors (if they've enabled that notification) so they can come revisit the answer. I can't recall ever hearing of someone re-rating an answer because of an edit, so it's pretty safe from that perspective. Anyway, what about my statement that "conducts electricity" is a common usage term and not something that is precisely defined -- I'm interested to hear your view on that, since you seem to have the topic so well covered. Last night I answered this question incorrectly,with ample time the salt that was added dissolved and it did conduct the 6volts.The light lit up very weak but it did light.you can actually see the salt water bubbling where the electrons exit the metal probes Actually water -- pure water -- is a pretty poor conductor of electricity. But water containing impurities, especially salts, does pretty well.
  • joli madoli
  • I know of only one way to find out ...

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy