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Question
Can electric current be passed through a solid ionic compound?
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Solution
No, electric current cannot be passed through a solid ionic compound.
Electric current cannot be passed through a solid ionic compound because, in the solid state, the ions are held together in a rigid crystal lattice and are not free to move. Since the flow of electric current requires the movement of charged particles, the absence of free ions in the solid state makes ionic solids non-conductive. However, when the ionic compound is either melted (fused) or dissolved in water, the crystal lattice breaks down and the ions become free to move. In such molten or aqueous states, these free-moving ions conduct electricity. Therefore, while solid ionic compounds do not allow the passage of electric current, their molten or aqueous solutions do.
