Conductivity of an electrolyte

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SUMMARY

The electric conductivity of liquid electrolytes, such as water, increases with temperature due to the rise in ion mobilities. Unlike metallic conductors, where conductivity decreases with lower temperatures, electrolytes exhibit enhanced conductivity in warmer conditions. This phenomenon is attributed to the inverse relationship between ion mobilities and the viscosity of the liquid, which decreases as temperature rises. Therefore, warm water is a better conductor of electricity than cold water at the same pressure and concentration.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electric conductivity principles
  • Knowledge of ion mobility and viscosity relationships
  • Familiarity with temperature effects on liquid properties
  • Basic concepts of electrolytes and their behavior
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the impact of temperature on ion mobility in electrolytes
  • Study the viscosity of various liquids and its effect on conductivity
  • Explore the differences in conductivity between metallic conductors and electrolytes
  • Investigate practical applications of electrolytic conductivity in industries
USEFUL FOR

Students in chemistry and physics, electrical engineers, and professionals involved in materials science or electrochemistry will benefit from this discussion.

hackhard
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I know that electric conductivity of metallic conductors increases with decrease in its absolute temperature(kelvin) . But is it the same for electrolytes such as water. Is cold water a better or worse conductor of electricity than warm water at same pressure and concentration.
 
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The electric conductivity of liquid electrolytes increases with temperature as the ion mobilities generally increase with increasing temperature. As a rough estimate, the ion mobilities are inversely proportional to the viscosity of the liquid.
 
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