What happens when one substance dissolves in another? Learn the first words of solution chemistry.
These terms were extracted from Chemistry by OpenStax, eCampusOntario (© 2016 Rice University; adapted by BCcampus) which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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physical process accompanying the dissolution of an ionic compound in which the compound’s constituent ions are solvated and dispersed throughout the solution
This process represents a physical change known as dissociation.
substance that produces ions when dissolved in water
These substances constitute an important class of compounds called electrolytes.
electrostatic attraction between an ion and a polar molecule
The electrostatic attraction between an ion and a molecule with a dipole is called an ion-dipole attraction.
substance that does not produce ions when dissolved in water
Substances that do not yield ions when dissolved are called nonelectrolytes.
substance that dissociates or ionizes completely when dissolved in water
If the physical or chemical process that generates the ions is essentially 100% efficient (all of the dissolved compound yields ions), then the substance is known as a strong electrolyte.
substance that ionizes only partially when dissolved in water
If only a relatively small fraction of the dissolved substance undergoes the ion-producing process, it is called a weak electrolyte.