Answer to Question #112244 in General Chemistry for Lauren Barad

Question

Which of the following changes would cause the reaction to become a better conductor of electricity? (which of the following would cause the reaction to produce more ions?)

a. add more vinegar to the solution
b. adding a base (this would remove some vinegar)
c. cooling the solution down
d. Doing the reaction at a higher elevation

Answer 1

b. adding a base (this would remove some vinegar) 

When the first portions of a sodium hydroxide solution are added to an acetic acid solution, the electrical conductivity of the system is slightly reduced. With subsequent titration, it increases due to an increase in the ion concentration, since instead of a weak acetic acid electrolyte, a strong sodium acetate electrolyte is formed, the amount of H + ions in the solution to a certain concentration becomes larger than it was before the titration, since as the acetic acid is neutralized, it decreases concentration and the degree of electrolytic dissociation increases.