Sea water is a strong electrolyte. Why?

Options

A. Compounds dissociate into ions
B. Sodium chloride dissolved in it
C. Discharge electrons
D. None of the above

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Definition of Electrolytes:**
- Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. They can be classified as strong or weak electrolytes based on their ability to dissociate.

2. **Weak Electrolytes:**
- A weak electrolyte is a substance that does not completely dissociate into ions in solution. For example, pure water is a weak electrolyte because it only partially dissociates into hydrogen ions (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻).

3. **Strong Electrolytes:**
- A strong electrolyte is a substance that completely dissociates into its ions in solution. This means that nearly 100% of the substance breaks apart into its constituent ions, which allows for high electrical conductivity.

4. **Composition of Sea Water:**
- Sea water contains a significant amount of dissolved salts, primarily sodium chloride (NaCl). When NaCl is dissolved in water, it dissociates completely into sodium ions (Na⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻).

5. **High Ion Concentration:**
- The presence of a large number of ions (Na⁺ and Cl⁻) in sea water contributes to its ability to conduct electricity. The more ions present in a solution, the better it can conduct electrical current.

6. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, sea water is considered a strong electrolyte because it contains dissolved salts like sodium chloride, which dissociate completely into ions, resulting in high electrical conductivity.

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