What is an electrolyte?

Minerals that carry an electric charge

An electrolyte is the liquid through which an electric current is passed during electrolysis. It is an ionic compound in either a molten (melted) state or dissolved in solution.

An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. The dissolved electrolyte separates into cations and anions. Cations are positively charged ions and anions are negatively charged ions.

Electrolytes are ionic compounds when molten or in a solution will conduct an electric current.

lectrolyte, in chemistry and physics, substance that conducts electric current as a result of a dissociation into positively and negatively charged particles called ions, which migrate toward and ordinarily are discharged at the negative and positive terminals (cathode and anode) of an electric circuit, respectively. The most familiar electrolytes are acids, bases, and salts, which ionize when dissolved in such solvents as water or alcohol. Many salts, such as sodium chloride, behave as electrolytes when melted in the absence of any solvent; and some, such as silver iodide, are electrolytes even in the solid state.

An electrolyte is an substance in chemistry, usually liquid but gel electrolytes are also possible, containing mobile ions. Thus electrolytes are limited to either salt solutions or solutions of acids or alkalis or gel materials containing the same. When a DC potential difference or electric field is applied across an electrolyte the ions move or migrate with negative ( -ve ) ions moving to the positive electrode or anode and positive ions (+ve) moving to the negative electrode or cathode. As a memory aid, just think about attraction of the opposites! Electrolytes as a function of this movement of ions or so called ionic conductivity are therefore conductors of electricity. Besides been in solution as electrolytes, salts can also be made into electrolytes by direct melting from their crystalline state but very high temperatures are needed between about 800-2000C depending on the precise salt.

Is a substance when dissolved in a suitable solvent or when melted or fused becomes an nonmetallic electric conductor, whereby if a current is passed through it, causes a movement of ions towards the charged electrodes.

A substance which when in solution conducts an electric current

An electrolyte is liquid through which electricity is passed in electrolysis. It can be either a molten ionic substance, or a salt dissolved in solvent, usually water although other solvents such as cryolite can be used.

In cell chemistry, an electrolyte is a liquid that is an ionic compound. This liquid has ions which enables the electricity to be conducted. It can be in a molten state, or an in an aqueous solution. Both the anode and cathode are placed within the electrolyte.