Solutions of Electrolytes

Abstract

Electrolytes dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, liquid ammonia, dioxane, alcohols and a number of other solvents according to the Arrhenius theory. These ions act as individual species, not as independent components, in changing the properties of solvents, such as the depression of freezing point, the lowering of vapor pressure, etc. Solutions of electrolytes play a dominant role in production of chemicals, in purification and electrowinning of metals, and in manufacturing galvanic cells and storage batteries. Numerous biological and geological processes occur in electrolytic solutions. While various solids and liquids are solvents for electrolytes, the most important and unique solvent is water.