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Why is electricty conducted through salt water?


scilearner

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Ok so when I pass electricty through salt water the negative ions move from highly negative area to positive area causing a current? My question is why do the move? Let's say there was Sodium and Chloride ions in water. Can't the chloride ion give an electron to sodium and make the whole solution deionized, why do they choose to move instead?

 

Thank you :)

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Sodium has one excess electron (as a group 1 metal) whereas chlorine is missing one electron (as a halogen). Atoms are much more stable when they have a full (or empty) shell of electrons. Furthermore, in water, ions are surrounded by a group of water molecules. The water molecules are polar and help to stabilize the ions.

 

Basically, in water the atoms have lower energy when they are ionized so they become ionized.

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Sodium has one excess electron (as a group 1 metal) whereas chlorine is missing one electron (as a halogen). Atoms are much more stable when they have a full (or empty) shell of electrons. Furthermore, in water, ions are surrounded by a group of water molecules. The water molecules are polar and help to stabilize the ions.

 

Basically, in water the atoms have lower energy when they are ionized so they become ionized.

 

Thanks for the help Skeptic :) I can understand why they would stay as ionized now, but I have a question about the reaction that occur in the cathode and anode. I can understand how reduction reaction can occur in the catode because they supply electrons at that end, but in the anode what make the ion lose its electrons thanks :)

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