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Why is pure, distilled water an electrical insulator while ocean saltwater is highly conductive?
If water and electricity are a deadly combination, why do physics textbooks state that 100% pure water cannot conduct a current?
S
SciencePro
asked 1d ago · 10 rep
1 Answer(s)
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Electricity requires free-flowing charged particles (ions) to travel. Pure H2O molecules are perfectly balanced and have no free electrons. However, when salt (sodium chloride) dissolves in water, it splits into highly charged positive and negative ions, creating a perfect superhighway for electrical currents.
C
ChemProf
answered 1d ago