Is dilute sulfuric acid an electrolyte?

Dilute sulfuric acid is an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. Since the sulfuric acid molecules in dilute sulfuric acid have been completely ionized, its strong oxidizing properties, water absorption, dehydration and many other properties are very weak. Dilute sulfuric acid is a colorless, odorless and very transparent liquid, but its density is larger than that of water. Many people think that dilute sulfuric acid is an electrolyte. Is this correct? Is dilute sulfuric acid an electrolyte? Let us learn about it together.

First, is dilute sulfuric acid an electrolyte? The definition of an electrolyte refers to a compound, and dilute sulfuric acid is a mixture, so dilute sulfuric acid is not an electrolyte, but H2SO4 can conduct electricity in a solution, so H2SO4 is an electrolyte, but its solution is not. The high school textbook definition of an electrolyte is a compound that can conduct electricity in an aqueous solution or molten state. So dilute sulfuric acid is a mixture and is neither an electrolyte nor a non-electrolyte.

Second, dilute sulfuric acid can conduct electricity because it is an electrolyte. When sulfuric acid is dissolved in water, it ionizes to produce freely moving ions, so the aqueous solution of sulfuric acid can conduct electricity. Sulfuric acid itself is an electrolyte, and a strong electrolyte. However, dilute sulfuric acid is a mixture, neither an electrolyte nor a non-electrolyte, because electrolytes must be compounds and belong to the category of pure substances. The way of conduction can be the directional movement of ions to produce current, such as the conduction of electrolyte solutions or molten electrolytes, or the directional movement of electrons to produce current, such as the conduction of metals.

Third, compounds that cannot conduct electricity in the molten state and in aqueous solution. This concept is relative to electrolytes. Non-electrolytes are compounds that are typically covalently bonded and do not undergo ionization reactions in aqueous solution. Except for carboxylic acids and their salts, phenols, and amines, most organic compounds are non-electrolytes, such as sucrose, glycerol, and ethanol. Among inorganic compounds, only certain non-metal halides and all non-metal oxides (except hydrogen oxide water) are non-electrolytes. Electrolytes include ionic or strongly polar covalent compounds; non-electrolytes include weakly polar or non-polar covalent compounds. Aqueous electrolyte solutions can conduct electricity because electrolytes can dissociate into ions. Whether a substance can be ionized in water is determined by its structure. Therefore, identifying electrolytes and non-electrolytes by their structure is the essence of the problem. In addition, some conductive materials, such as copper and aluminum, are not electrolytes. Because they are not conductive compounds but single substances, they do not meet the definition of electrolytes.

Is dilute sulfuric acid an electrolyte? H2SO4 can conduct electricity in a solution, so it is an electrolyte, but dilute sulfuric acid is a solution, a mixture, and the definition of an electrolyte refers to a compound, so dilute sulfuric acid is not an electrolyte.