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Reviewed CSCA Chemistry question · Easy

Which of the following 0.10 M aqueous solutions will have the highest electrical conductivity? (Assume complete dissociation for strong electrolytes.)

  1. Sucrose (C12H22O11)
  2. Acetic acid (CH3COOH)
  3. Potassium sulfate (K2SO4)
  4. Ammonia (NH3)
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Correct answer

C. Potassium sulfate (K2SO4)

Principle or equation

Electrical conductivity of a solution depends on the concentration of ions. Strong electrolytes dissociate completely, producing more ions per formula unit. Nonelectrolytes produce no ions; weak electrolytes produce few ions.

Why this answer is correct

Sucrose is a nonelectrolyte (no ions). Acetic acid is a weak electrolyte (few ions). Ammonia is a weak base (few ions). Potassium sulfate is a strong electrolyte: K2SO4 → 2K⁺ + SO₄²⁻, producing 3 ions per formula unit, the highest ion concentration among the options.

Example

0.10 M NaCl produces 0.20 M ions; 0.10 M CaCl2 produces 0.30 M ions.

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