Electrolytes! - PhET

Many students have heard of electrolytes from commercials for sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade. They know we need them to replenish and refuel after a workout, but do they understand what they are on a molecular level?

Well…that’s where this handy PhET simulation titled “Sugar and Salt Solutions” comes into play!

As mentioned in the resources section of this site, PhET is a project at the University of Colorado Boulder that creates free interactive simulations corresponding to math and science topics. These simulations are great for illustrating more abstract concepts and giving students simulated “hands-on” experiences when resources or time is limited.

In this particular simulation, “Sugar and Salt Solutions,” students are able to compare and contrast what happens when sugar and salt are dropped into water. The simulation has three tabs that allows students to explore what happens on a macroscopic and microscopic scale. This provides a great gateway into a discussion of how electrolytes as things that dissociate completely in solution, such as strong acids, strong bases, and ionic compounds (or salts). The third tab even allows you to see how the water molecules would orient their partial charges to solvate the ions.

Additionally, there is a conductivity sensor with a lightbulb that you can place in the solution to test for conductivity, thus helping students make the connection between the name “electrolyte” and their properties of electrical conductivity.

There are also features that allow you to add different salts and to evaporate or add water in order to explore the effects of concentration on conductivity.

Go check it out and enjoy exploring electrolytes!