Ion Count: Strong vs Weak
Rank solutions by how well they conduct.
Setting up the bench…
What this lesson covers
Why it matters
Two beakers, same concentration — one bulb blazing, one barely glowing. The difference is how fully each substance splits into ions.
Predict first
Why does a weak acid conduct less than a strong acid at the same concentration?
A strong electrolyte ionises almost completely (many ions, bright bulb); a weak electrolyte ionises only partly (few ions, dim bulb); a non-electrolyte gives no ions (no glow).
- Only a small fraction of its molecules ionise — correct
- It contains fewer atoms
- Weak acids never form ions at all
What you do
Rank these by how brightly they would light the bulb, brightest first.
Check yourself
A 'strong' electrolyte is one that…
‘Strong' refers to the degree of ionisation, not the concentration.
Acetic acid is a weak electrolyte because…
Partial ionisation means few ions, so it conducts only weakly.
- ionises almost completely in water — correct
- is very concentrated
- contains a strong-smelling acid
- only a few of its molecules split into ions — correct
- it contains no hydrogen
- it cannot dissolve in water