Nonelectrolyte (source code)

= Nonelectrolyte

A <nonelectrolyte> supplies neutral <molecules> rather than <ions> on dissolving in the specified <solvent>, as illustrated by <sucrose> in <water>.

For example, dissolving an idealized $1\,\mathrm{mmol}$ <sucrose> inventory gives $1\,\mathrm{mmol}$ dissolved <sucrose> <molecules>, rather than separate <cations> and <anions>. Dissolving the same <amount of substance> of a fully dissociated one-to-one <strong electrolyte> instead gives $1\,\mathrm{mmol}$ of each <ion>. Both can disappear visibly into the <solvent>; the resulting <chemical species> distinguish them.<Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers and others/11.2 Electrolytes>[Chemistry 2e, §11.2, opening definitions of electrolytes and nonelectrolytes]{ref}

A <nonelectrolyte> is not necessarily insoluble: <sucrose> provides a soluble counterexample. Nor does the label assert exactly zero measured <electrical conductivity>. <Self-ionization of water>, impurities or residual <electrolyte> from a probe can supply background <ions>. Comparing with a <solvent> blank and rinsing between samples, as in the <strong electrolyte> experiment, tests whether the dissolved substance itself produces appreciable additional mobile <ions>. This separates visible <dissolution> from ion production without treating lamp darkness as an absolute absence of <electric charge>.