Using NaCl to conduct electricity?

[ashishvinayak]

Homework Statement

Okay, there's this point that NaCl conducts electricity. So I tried using it to burn a steel filament (a very small filament, like ones used in bulbs.) by connecting it as a switch in a circuit with a battery.

The battery i used was 12 volts.



2. The attempt at a solution

So the circuit doesn't complete to burn the filament. However, I tried using the circuit to run a high rpm motor (300 rpm) and that worked. According to me, the filament should require much less current. However, it doesn't work in any case. What am i doing wrong?

 

[nate808]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experiment with us. It is interesting that you are trying to use NaCl to conduct electricity and burn a steel filament. It is true that NaCl (salt) can conduct electricity because it is an ionic compound, meaning it has charged particles (ions) that can move and carry electric current.

However, in order for the filament to burn, it needs a certain amount of current to heat up and reach its ignition temperature. This current may be more than what the NaCl can conduct in your circuit. Additionally, the resistance of the NaCl may be too high, causing a drop in voltage and preventing enough current from reaching the filament.

As for the high rpm motor, it may require less current to run because it has a lower resistance compared to the filament. This means that more current can flow through the circuit and power the motor.

In conclusion, while NaCl can conduct electricity, it may not be suitable for your specific experiment. I would suggest using a different conductive material with lower resistance, such as copper or aluminum, to achieve your desired results. Thank you for your curiosity and keep experimenting!