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 produces ions when it dissolves in water or undergoes a reaction. This ion production occurs through a chemical change, not a physical one. A chemical change alters the substance’s molecular structure, often involving the breaking and forming of chemical bonds.
When an electrolyte is introduced into water, it dissociates or ionizes, depending on whether it is an ionic compound or a molecular compound. For example, table salt (NaCl), a strong electrolyte, dissolves in water and dissociates into sodium ions (Na⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻). This is a chemical change because the crystal lattice of NaCl is broken apart and the ions are stabilized in solution by water molecules.
Similarly, molecular compounds like hydrogen chloride (HCl) undergo ionization in water to form H⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. Again, this transformation involves chemical interactions with water molecules and represents a chemical change.
In contrast, a physical change does not involve a change in the chemical composition of a substance. Examples include melting, freezing, or dissolving sugar in water. While sugar dissolves physically, it does not produce ions and therefore is not an electrolyte.
Spontaneous change refers to whether a process happens without outside intervention, and while some electrolytic processes are spontaneous, this is not the defining characteristic of ion formation.
Lastly, the answer does not depend on the substance in terms of the type of change required to form ions. Whether a substance is a strong, weak, or non-electrolyte, ion formation always results from a chemical change in the context of electrolytes.
Therefore, the correct answer is chemical change because ion formation in electrolytes involves altering chemical bonds or interactions.
