Why HCl Conducts Electricity in Water:
* Ionization: When HCl dissolves in water, it undergoes ionization. This means the HCl molecules break apart into hydrogen ions (H+) and chloride ions (Cl-). These ions are free to move throughout the solution.
* Charge Carriers: The presence of these mobile, charged ions allows for the flow of electricity. When an electric potential is applied, the positive hydrogen ions move towards the negative electrode, and the negative chloride ions move towards the positive electrode, completing an electrical circuit.
Why HCl Does Not Conduct Electricity in Hexane:
* Non-Polar Solvent: Hexane is a non-polar solvent. This means it doesn't have a significant separation of charge within its molecules. It doesn't attract the HCl molecules strongly enough to cause them to ionize.
* No Free Ions: Because HCl doesn't ionize in hexane, there are no free ions to carry an electric current. The solution remains electrically neutral.
In summary:
The key difference lies in the ability of the solvent to break apart the HCl molecules and form free ions. Water, being a polar solvent, promotes ionization, while hexane, being non-polar, does not.
