State what happens to the ions in an ionic compound when it is melted or dissolved in water.
When ionic compounds dissolve in water, the ions in the solidseparate and disperse uniformly throughout the solution because water molecules surround and solvate the ions, reducing the strong electrostatic forces between them. This process represents a physical change known as dissociation.
What is an electrolyte?
A substance that dissociates in water into charged particles called ions. Positively charged ions are called cations.Negatively charged ions are called anions. Simply, an electrolyte is a substance that can conduct an electric current when melted or dissolved in water.
What happens to ions during electrolysis?
During electrolysis, at the cathode (negative electrode), positively charged ions gain electrons and so the reactions are reductions. At the anode (positive electrode), negatively charged ions lose electrons and so the reactions are oxidations.
