What is the Difference Between Strong and Weak Electrolytes?

The main difference between strong and weak electrolytes lies in the extent of their ionization in water. Here are the key differences between the two:

Strong Electrolytes:

1. Dissociate completely into ions in an aqueous solution.
2. Their solutions contain maximum free ions.
3. The amount of ions present in the solution is very high.
4. Strong electrolytes conduct a large amount of electricity.
5. Examples of strong electrolytes include HCl, NaOH, and NaCl.

Weak Electrolytes:

1. Dissociate partially into ions in an aqueous solution.
2. Their solutions contain both free ions and undissociated molecules.
3. The amount of ions present in the solution is low.
4. Weak electrolytes conduct a small amount of electricity.
5. Examples of weak electrolytes include weak acids and weak bases.

In summary, strong electrolytes are fully ionized in water, while weak electrolytes only partially ionize. Strong electrolytes have higher conductivity and are primarily composed of ions, whereas weak electrolytes have lower conductivity and contain a mix of ions and undissociated molecules.

Comparative Table: Strong vs Weak Electrolytes

Strong and weak electrolytes differ in their ionization in water. Strong electrolytes ionize completely (100%), while weak electrolytes ionize only partially, usually around 1–10%. Electrolytes are substances that, when dissolved in water, break up into cations (plus-charged ions) and anions (minus-charged ions). Here is a table comparing strong and weak electrolytes:

Strong electrolytes fall into three categories: strong acids, strong bases, and salts. Weak electrolytes include weak acids and weak bases. Strong electrolytes are responsible for making solutions electrically conductive by producing ions when they dissolve in water. In contrast, weak electrolytes produce relatively less number of ions and have lower electrical conductivity.