Question

when water ionizes, it produces hydroxide and hydronium ions, making it a very weak electrolyte. Since both of the products concentrations are equal (1:1) its neutral.....

Answer 1

so my question is, its not an acid nor a base, but when its equal like that is it still conductive? because I thought its neutral?

Answer 2

neutral water is \(barely\) conductive, because the concentrations of the two ions are very small, but still \(equal\), so pure water is neither acidic nor basic, but \(amphoteric\), able to act as either

Answer 3

what is amphoteric? and when you say act as either do you mean conductivity and neutrality or acidity and base?

Answer 4

@JFraser

Answer 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphoterism
Water can act as either an acid or a base.

Answer 6

ok but that still doesn't answer my original question,

water being neutral but conductive is contradictory.... how is something neutral conductive? i know that ions make it conductive but since its equal its neutral so.....?

Answer 7

Any compound that breaks apart into ions in solution is conductive, not just acids and bases.

Answer 8

A solution of NaCl is conductive even though it is neutral.

Answer 9

being \(electrically\) neutral and being a neutral \(pH\) are not the same thing

Answer 10

so water being neutral pH and neutrally charged is not contradictory to being conductive. Ionic substances have charged pieces, but \(equal \space numbers\) of \(oppositely\) charged pieces, making it electrically neutral