Lab: Testing Household Materials for Electrical Conductivity
Problem: Which substances will conduct electricity?
Background Information: Electrical Current in Solution Graphic Organizer
Materials:
Lemon juice
Battery
Baking soda
Light bulb
Ammonia
three alligator clips
Sugar
Water
Salt
7 plastic cups
Vinegar
Paper towels
Procedure:
1. Set up the series circuit as the teacher shows you.
2. Test lemon juice as the teacher shows you.
3. Record your data on the data table.
4. Dip the alligator clips in water to clean, and DRY thoroughly.
5. Repeat the test for the remaining samples.
6. Be sure to clean alligator clips between each testing.
7. Answer the Analysis and Conclusion questions.
Substance
Does light bulb light up?
Is the substance an electrolyte
or a nonelectrolyte?
Distilled Water
Lemon juice
Baking soda
Ammonia
Sugar
Salt
Vinegar
Analysis and Conclusion:
1.Identify the control group._______________________________________________________
2. Identify the experimental groups:_______________________________________________
3. Define electrolyte.______________________________________________________________
4. Define ionization.______________________________________________________________
5. Using data from this experiment, how did you determine whether a substance was an
electrolyte or not?________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
9-6 What is an electrolyte?
Lesson Review
Write true if the statement is true. If the statement is false,
change the underlined term to make the statement true. Write
your answers in the spaces provided.
___________ 1. A solution that contains ions can conduct an electric
current.
___________ 2. Electrodes connected to a battery do not conduct electricity
when placed in pure distilled water.
___________ 3. When sodium chloride dissolves in water, it forms K+ and
Cl– ions.
___________ 4. A substance that does not conduct an electric current when
it is dissolved in water is called an electrolyte.
___________ 5. A slightly acidic solution of water is a good conductor of
heat.
___________ 6. An example of an electrolyte is sugar.
___________ 7. When hydrochloric acid is added to water, it separates into
H+ and Cl– ions.
___________ 8. The formation of ions is called neutralization.
___________ 9. Electrolytes conduct electric currents.
___________ 10. Distilled water is a good conductor of electricity.
Skill Challenge
Skills: synthesizing, relating
Identify the ions that each of the following substances will form
when dissolved in water.
1. NaCl _______________
2. HCl ______________
3. KOH _______________
4. KCl ______________