can pure molten hydrochloric acid conduct electricity?

no idea

can pure molten hydrochloric acid conduct electricity?

bomba923

Of course; HCl is an ionic solid; by definition, ionic solids are composed of anions and cations; when the solid is made liquid, you have free and mobile ions; thus, you can conduct electricity.

Yes, pure molten HCl will conduct electricity

chem_tr

Well, I am not sure; hydrochloric acid is a gas which is used as aqueous solution. In high temperature you will not get it as a solid; it will evaporate. However, high temperature will possibly help its ionization.

bomba923

Would not the HCl gas conduct electricity as well? It has ions more mobile than that of its liquid form

Pyrovus

Liquid HCl will probably be a poor conductor of electricity owing to the fact that it is a covalent compound and doesn't have terribly many ions floating about. Pure water will conduct electricity as a result of ions created by the reaction 2H2O <-> H3O+ + OH-, and there is probably an analagous equilibrium taking place with the HCl: 2HCl <-> H2Cl+ + Cl-. However, HCl is such a weak base that it will have little tendency to accept a proton to form H2Cl+, so this reaction will probably have very little effect (also it should be noted that pure water is still a poor conductor of electricity, even with the aforementioned equilibrium taking place).

bomba923

Silly mE! I forgot it was covalent... !!!
Ay!

How? HCl is hydrochloric acid!, and it is a strong acid!! Strong acids will dissociate well in water!! Which means mobile ion availability in aqueous HCl solutions!--and thus will conduct electricity!

Borek

What Pyrovus means is that in the reaction [tex]2HCl \leftrightarrow H_2Cl^+ + Cl^-[/tex] HCl plays role of proton acceptor - so it is a Bronsted base.

Best,
Borek
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