What type of solutions do substances that dissolve in water form?

Prepare for the DIVE Chemistry Quarterly Exam 3 with practice questions including multiple choice and flashcards. Each question provides hints and explanations for thorough understanding. Get ready for your Chemistry exam!

Substances that dissolve in water form electrolytes if they dissociate into ions and conduct electricity when dissolved. Electrolytes are typically ionic compounds such as salts, which break apart into their respective ions in the aqueous solution. For example, when sodium chloride (table salt) dissolves in water, it separates into sodium ions and chloride ions, allowing the solution to conduct electric current. This property is essential in many biological and chemical processes, making the understanding of electrolytes crucial in chemistry.

While solutes refer to the substances that are being dissolved, and solvents refer to the medium doing the dissolving (in this case, water), these terms do not capture the specific ability to conduct electricity that characterizes electrolytes. The term 'solvables' is not commonly used in chemistry to describe substances in solutions and does not accurately represent the behavior of dissolving substances. Thus, the classification of substances that dissolve in water into electrolytes highlights their ability to form conductive solutions through the dissociation of ions.

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