An electrolyte will yield ions by undergoing a:
Select the correct answer below:
physical change
chemical change
spontaneous change
depends on the substance
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer: Chemical Change
An electrolyte is a substance that dissolves in water (or another solvent) to produce a solution that conducts electricity. This conductivity arises because the substance produces ions, which are charged particles capable of carrying an electrical current. The process by which an electrolyte produces these ions is best described as a chemical change.
Explanation:
A chemical change occurs when the molecular structure of a substance is altered, resulting in the formation of new substances. In the case of an electrolyte, this change involves the dissociation of molecules into ions. For example, when sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves in water, it undergoes a chemical change:
[
\text{NaCl (s)} \rightarrow \text{Na}^+ (aq) + \text{Cl}^- (aq)
]
Although this appears to be a simple dissolution, it is fundamentally a chemical process because the NaCl crystal lattice breaks apart, and the individual sodium and chloride ions become solvated (surrounded) by water molecules. The electrostatic forces that originally held the ions together in the solid lattice are overcome, which involves a change in the substance’s internal structure.
On the other hand, a physical change—such as melting or boiling—involves no alteration in the molecular or ionic structure of a substance. For instance, melting ice into water changes the state but not the identity of the substance (still H₂O). Physical changes do not create ions or affect conductivity in the same way electrolytic dissolution does.
While spontaneity and the type of substance (strong vs. weak electrolyte) do influence the extent and rate of ion production, the actual formation of ions is still a chemical change regardless of those factors.
In conclusion, an electrolyte yields ions by undergoing a chemical change that alters the internal structure of the compound to release charged particles capable of conducting electricity in solution.