Conductivity Lab

In this lab, we measured the conductivity of various solutions. This was done by mixing compounds with water, and then checking the conductivity with a Vernier conductivity probe (and collecting its data through Logger Pro.

The data provided by the probe show some interesting results. When the conductivity of ionic compounds, such as calcium acetate and sodium acetate, was tested, it was exceptionally high (nearly 3,000 microsiemens per centimeter in the case of sodium acetate). However, when substances that were not ionic in nature, such as molasses or antacid, were tested, they had very little conductivity (in the case of antacid, less than fifty microsiemens per centimeter).

So what do these data mean?

Clearly, there is a trend towards more conductivity in the ionic compounds. What causes this? It's the very nature of the ionic compounds--because there are ions, which have an electrical charge, within the solution, it naturally conducts well. This lab shows that, whenever there is a large disparity between two different results--in this case, the conductivity of ionic and non-ionic compounds--there is a reason for this, and noticing this is one of the primary requirements for a research scientist.