What do you notice that’s different about the conductivity of sugar from the conductivity of salt?
One noticeable difference in conductivity between sugar and salt is that salt is a better conductor of electricity than sugar. This is because salt is an ionic compound, meaning it dissociates into positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions) when dissolved in water. These ions are free to move and can carry electrical current. In contrast, sugar is a covalent compound and does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. Therefore, it does not conduct electricity as effectively as salt.
The main difference between the conductivity of sugar and salt is that salt is a strong electrolyte, while sugar is a non-electrolyte. This means that salt can dissociate into ions in water, allowing for the flow of electric current, while sugar does not dissociate and does not conduct electricity in the same way.
To compare the conductivity of sugar and salt, you can perform a simple experiment.
Materials needed:
1. Sugar
2. Salt
3. Distilled water
4. Two identical cups or beakers
5. Two identical metal wires with alligator clips
6. Battery or power source
7. Multimeter or conductivity meter
Procedure:
1. Start by preparing two separate solutions in the cups. Dissolve sugar in water in one cup and salt in water in the other cup. Ensure that the concentration of both solutions is the same by using equal amounts of sugar and salt and the same volume of water.
2. Connect the positive terminal of the battery or power source to one of the metal wires and the negative terminal to the other wire. These wires will act as electrodes for the experiment.
3. Take one wire and attach it to the positive terminal of the battery. Attach the other wire to the negative terminal.
4. Dip one of the wires into the sugar solution and make sure it is submerged without touching the sides or bottom of the cup. Similarly, dip the other wire into the salt solution, making sure it is also fully submerged.
5. Turn on the battery or power source.
6. Take the multimeter or conductivity meter and measure the conductivity of the sugar solution by connecting the meter's probes to the ends of the wire that is submerged in the solution. Record the conductivity value.
7. Repeat the process for the salt solution and measure its conductivity.
8. Compare the conductivity values of the two solutions.
Observations and Explanations:
Salt, in its dissolved form (an electrolyte), consists of sodium cations (Na+) and chloride anions (Cl-). These ions are free to move in the solution and carry electric charge, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. Therefore, the salt solution will display conductivity.
Sugar, on the other hand, is a non-electrolyte, meaning it does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. It remains as sugar molecules. In this form, the sugar solution does not conduct electricity because there are no charged particles available to carry the electric charge.
So, the key difference between the conductivity of sugar and salt is that salt, being an electrolyte, allows the passage of electric charge through the solution and exhibits conductivity, whereas sugar, as a non-electrolyte, does not conduct electricity.