Conductivity (electrolytic)
measure of the ability of a solution containing electrolytes to conduct electricity
Conductivity or specific conductance of an electrolyte solution is a measure of its ability to conduct electricity. The SI unit of conductivity is siemens per meter (S/m).
Conductivity measurements are used routinely in many industrial and environmental applications as a fast, inexpensive and reliable way of measuring the ionic content in a solution. For example, the measurement of product conductivity is a typical way to monitor and continuously trend the performance of water purification systems.
In many cases, conductivity is linked directly to the total dissolved solids (TDS).
High-quality deionized water has a conductivity of
κ
=
0.05501
±
0.0001
{\displaystyle \kappa =0.05501\pm 0.0001}
μS/cm at 25 °C.
This corresponds to a specific resistivity of
ρ
=
18.18
±
0.03
{\displaystyle \rho =18.18\pm 0.03}
MΩ⋅cm.
The preparation of salt solutions often takes place in unsealed beakers. In this case the conductivity of purified water often is 10 to 20 times higher. A discussion can be found below.
Typical drinking water is in the range of 200–800 μS/cm, while sea water is about 50 mS/cm (or 0.05 S/cm).
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