A liquid solution, usually water, containing ions is called what?

A liquid solution, usually water, containing ions is called what?

• A. Solution
• B. Electrolyte
• C. Solvent
• D. Suspension

Answer: (B)

When a liquid is a solution and it contains ions, it acts as an electrolyte. The key idea is that ions are charged particles; when they are dissolved, they move freely and enable the solution to conduct electricity. That electrical conductivity is what defines an electrolyte. A solution is simply a uniform mixture of a solute dissolved in a solvent, like salt or sugar in water, but not all solutions have ions. A solvent is the component doing the dissolving, typically water in aqueous solutions, but that term doesn’t say anything about ions. A suspension, by contrast, has undissolved particles that are not evenly distributed and don’t form true dissolved solutions. So, when ions are present in the liquid, you’re dealing with an electrolyte solution—examples include salt in water forming Na+ and Cl− ions, which conducts electricity.

When a liquid is a solution and it contains ions, it acts as an electrolyte. The key idea is that ions are charged particles; when they are dissolved, they move freely and enable the solution to conduct electricity. That electrical conductivity is what defines an electrolyte.

A solution is simply a uniform mixture of a solute dissolved in a solvent, like salt or sugar in water, but not all solutions have ions. A solvent is the component doing the dissolving, typically water in aqueous solutions, but that term doesn’t say anything about ions. A suspension, by contrast, has undissolved particles that are not evenly distributed and don’t form true dissolved solutions.

So, when ions are present in the liquid, you’re dealing with an electrolyte solution—examples include salt in water forming Na+ and Cl− ions, which conducts electricity.