electrolytic dissociation

American  

noun

Physical Chemistry.

1. the separation of the molecule of an electrolyte into its constituent atoms.

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Etymology

Origin of electrolytic dissociation

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

To him is due the establishment of the theory of electrolytic dissociation, supplying a reasonable explanation of many chemical phenomena otherwise insoluble.

From Project Gutenberg

Arrhenius, who made it the basis of the theory of electrolytic dissociation.

From Project Gutenberg

These apparently rather complicated relations were now cleared up at one stroke, by the application of the law of chemical mass-action on the lines indicated by S. Arrhenius in 1887, when he put forward the theory of electrolytic dissociation to explain that peculiar behaviour of substances in aqueous solution first recognized by van’t Hoff in 1885.

From Project Gutenberg

If an acid and an alkaline solution be brought together mutual neutralization must result, since the positive H-ions and the negative OH-ions cannot exist together in view of the extremely weak conductivity of pure water and its consequent slight electrolytic dissociation, and therefore they must at once combine to form electrically neutral molecules, in the sense of the equation H+ + OH- = H2O.

From Project Gutenberg

The degree of electrolytic dissociation determines, therefore, the strength of acids, and a similar consideration leads to the same result for bases.

From Project Gutenberg