electrolyte

[ih-lek-truh-lahyt]

noun

1. Physical Chemistry.

   1. Also called electrolytic conductor. a conducting medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in the form of ions.

   2. any substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in a suitable medium or melted and thus forms a conductor of electricity.

2. Physiology.,  any of certain inorganic compounds, mainly sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate, that dissociate in biological fluids into ions capable of conducting electrical currents and constituting a major force in controlling fluid balance within the body.

electrolyte

/ ɪˈlɛktrəʊˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a solution or molten substance that conducts electricity

2. 1. a chemical compound that dissociates in solution into ions

   2. any of the ions themselves

electrolyte

1. A melted or dissolved compound that has broken apart into ions (anions and cations). Applying an electric field across an electrolyte causes the anions and cations to move in opposite directions, thereby conducting electrical current while gradually separating the ions.

2. See also electrodialysis electrolysis

3. Any of these ions found in body fluids. Electrolytes are needed by cells to regulate the flow of water molecules across cell membranes.

electrolyte

1. A substance that can serve as a conductor for an electric current (see also current) when it is dissolved in a solution. Electrolytes are found in the blood and tissue fluids of the body.

Other Word Forms

• nonelectrolyte noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of electrolyte¹

First recorded in 1825–35; electro- + -lyte ¹

Example Sentences

On election day, he emailed followers about gut health, electrolytes, protein bars, fitness and conversations to increase happiness.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The various infections, electrolyte imbalances and medication intolerances weakened her to the point of collapse.

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Lunch involves chicken, rice, yoghurt and fruit, before loading up with more protein, carbs and electrolytes in preparation for his late afternoon training session.

Read more on BBC

Served by the glass, “the Los Angeles Tap water has more minerals and electrolytes dissolved than most purified bottled waters,” the menu notes.

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The method is well known in other areas of materials science but had not previously been used for solid electrolytes, Oh said.

Read more on Science Daily

When To Use

What is an electrolyte?

An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity when melted or dissolved in water. The individual ions that such a substance breaks into are also called electrolytes.Sodium chloride, that is, table salt, is one example of an electrolyte. Sodium chloride is made of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). If you dump a bunch of salt on a table, it won’t conduct electricity. The salt molecules are tightly held together and don’t have electrical charges to help move (conduct) the electric current.However, if you put salt into water, it will dissolve and the sodium and chlorine molecules will be free to drift apart from each other. The sodium and chlorine in salt are ions, which means they have electrical charges (sodium has a positive charge and chlorine has a negative charge). Because they are now freely moving ions, they can conduct electricity through the water.Electrolytes are important to your body because your brain sends electrical signals through your nerve cells to tell the cells in your body what to do. These signals need a conductor to transport them through and across cells. The electrolyte sodium acts as this conductor, carrying these signals through nerve cells.Maintaining a good supply of electrolytes is important to keep your brain communicating with your other organs and muscles.