Electrolytes vs. Nonelectrolytes

Main Difference

The main difference between electrolytes and nonelectrolytes is that the electrolytes are the chemical compounds that have the ability of ionization in the solution, whereas the nonelectrolytes are the chemical compounds that do not have the ability of ionization in the solution.

Difference Between Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes

Comparison Chart

Electrolytes vs. Nonelectrolytes

Electrolytes are the compounds that completely ionized into its ions in the water solvents, whereas nonelectrolytes are the compounds that do not ionize into ions in the water solvents. The conduction of electricity is possible in an electrolyte solution; on the other hand, the conduction of electricity is not possible in a nonelectrolyte solution. Electrolytes are the compounds that are made of weak bonds while nonelectrolytes are the compounds that are made of a strong bond.

The electrovalent bond is present in the electrolyte chemical compound; on the flip side, the covalent bond is present in nonelectrolyte chemical compounds. Electrolytes usually include in the electrovalent compounds; on the other hand, nonelectrolytes include in the covalent compounds. The base, acid, and salts called electrolytes; on the flip side, carbohydrates, fats, lipids, sugars, and organic compounds called nonelectrolytes.

Electrolytes further divided into two types while nonelectrolytes not further divided into types. Polar compounds are known as the electrolytes; on the other hand, non-polar compounds known as nonelectrolytes.

The molten form of electrolytes is ionizable; on the flip side, the molten form of nonelectrolytes is non-ionizable. The electrolytes used for identification of standard electrode potential; on the other hand, the non-electrolytes are not used for the identification of standard electrode potential. The electric current conduction of electrolytes increases with the increase in the temperature in electrolytic cells; on the flip side, the conduction of electric current by nonelectrolytes is independent of the temperature.

The bond in electrolytes is very weak that it can easily break during the conduction of electric current; on the other hand, the bond in electrolytes is a very strong bond that cannot break in the conduction of electric current. Electrolytes have the ability to dissolve completely in the solution; on the other hand; nonelectrolytes do not have the ability to dissolve completely in the solution.

Electrolytes break into positive and negative ions; on the flip side, nonelectrolytes do not break into positive and negative ions. Electrolytes do not include pure water; on the contrary, nonelectrolytes also include pure water. The conductivities of electrolytes increase as the amount of the less strong electrolyte increases in an electrolyte solution, whereas nonelectrolytes do not have an effect of the concentration as they are not related to the conductivities.

What are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are the chemical compounds that completely dissociates in the water solution and give positive and negative ions to the solution. These ions are also able to conduct the electric current in the electrolytic cells. The conduction of electrical power increases with the increase in the temperatures of the solution or the cell. It is just opposite to the conduction of electric current by the metals or the conductors.

It can form both the cations and anions in the solid or the molten form. The chemical compounds electrolytes usually made of very weak chemical bonds such as the electrovalent bond or the ionic bond. That’s why these compounds include in the ionic compound classification. Electrolytes are also called as the polar compounds.

But the pure water or distilled water not includes in the type of electrolytes as they cannot form the ions in the solutions. The ions of electrolytes have the ability to move in the electrolytic bath to do several changes in the solutions. Its types are strong electrolytes and weak electrolytes.

The examples of the good electrolytes are the Sulfuric acid, Copper sulfate solution, Potassium hydroxide, Ethanol, Zinc sulfate solution, etc.

Applications

• Used in the manufacturing of the alkali metals
• Used in the electroplating process
• Used in the anodizing of the metals, etc.

What are Nonelectrolytes?

Nonelectrolytes are the chemical compounds that do not completely dissociate in the water solution to give the positive and thee negative ions to the solution. These compounds also do not have the ability to conduct the electric current in the electrolytic cells. The nonelectrolyte solution is not affected by the temperature as they are not related to the electrolytic conduction or with the metallic conduction.

It does not form ions such as cations or anions in both the solid or molten form. The chemical compounds of nonelectrolytes usually made of very strong chemical bonds such as covalent bonds that need a very large amount of force to break the compounds into the ions. That’s why these compounds are included in the covalent compound classification.

Nonelectrolytes are also known as the non-polar compounds. The pure water or distilled water include in the nonelectrolytes as they cannot form the ions in the solutions. Examples of nonelectrolytes are Sugar, Lipids, Fats, Carbohydrates, Glucose, and Carbon-containing compounds, etc.

Conclusion

The above discussion concludes that both the electrolytes and nonelectrolytes the chemical compounds. Electrolytes are the chemical compounds that dissociate in the water solution to form the positive and negative ions, whereas nonelectrolytes are the chemical compounds that do not dissociate in the water solution to form the positive and negative ions.