What is the Difference Between True and Potential Electrolyte?

The difference between true and potential electrolytes lies in their ability to dissociate into ions and conduct electricity.

• True Electrolytes: These are substances that can completely dissociate into their ions. They are also known as strong electrolytes. When dissolved in water or another solution, true electrolytes readily produce their ionic forms, resulting in the presence of cations and anions in the solution. These ions can carry an electric current through the electrolytic solution, making them good conductors of electricity. Examples of true electrolytes include sodium chloride (NaCl) and copper sulfate (CuSO4).
• Potential Electrolytes: These are substances that can partially dissociate into ions when dissolved in a solvent. They are also known as weak electrolytes. Potential electrolytes consist of uncharged molecules in their pure state, but when dissolved in a solvent, they react with the solvent to some extent to yield ions. They are poor conductors of electricity in the pure liquid state. Examples of potential electrolytes include acetic acid (CH3COOH) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

In summary, true electrolytes fully dissociate into ions and are good conductors of electricity, while potential electrolytes partially dissociate into ions and are poor conductors of electricity.

Comparative Table: True vs Potential Electrolyte

The difference between true and potential electrolytes lies in their ability to dissociate into ions when dissolved in water or another solution. Here is a table summarizing the main differences between true and potential electrolytes:

In summary, true electrolytes completely dissociate into ions, producing ionic forms that can carry electric current through the electrolytic solution, while potential electrolytes only partially dissociate into ions and have lower conductivity.