Question

Pure water is non-conducting but acidified water is good conductor of electricity. Explain.

Answer 1

1. Water is feebly ionized and does not provide appreciable number of ions to show passage of current.
2. In acidified water, the acid furnishes ions for eg. Hydronium ions (${\mathrm{H}}_3{\mathrm{O}}^{+}$) responsible for the passage of current.
3. The Grotthuss proton jumping mechanism is the process by which an extra proton or proton defect diffuses through the hydrogen bond network of water molecules or other hydrogen-bonded liquids by forming and breaking covalent connections with nearby molecules.
4. This is the reason why pure water is non-conducting but acidified water is good conductor of electricity.