No, sucrose is not an electrolyte. Electrolytes are substances that produce ions when dissolved in water, allowing them to conduct electricity. Sucrose, commonly known as table sugar, does not dissociate into ions in water and, therefore, does not exhibit electrical conductivity.
Well, this was just a simple answer. But there are few more things to know about this topic which will make your concept super clear.
So let’s dive right into it.
Why is sucrose a non-electrolyte?
Sucrose is a non-electrolyte because it does not dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. In its molecular form, sucrose consists of glucose and fructose units bonded together, 1 and these molecules remain intact in solution, not producing any free ions that can conduct electricity.
When a substance dissolves in water and breaks apart into ions, it becomes an electrolyte because the ions can carry an electric charge and facilitate the flow of electricity through the solution.
However, in the case of sucrose, when it dissolves in water, the attractive forces between the individual sucrose molecules are stronger than the forces between the water and sucrose molecules.
As a result, sucrose molecules remain intact, and no ions are produced. Therefore, a solution of sucrose does not conduct electricity, making it a non-electrolyte.
In contrast, ionic compounds, such as table salt (sodium chloride), dissociate into their constituent ions (sodium ions and chloride ions) when dissolved in water, making them strong electrolytes as they can readily conduct electricity. 2
On the other hand, covalent compounds like sucrose, which consist of molecules with strong intramolecular forces, do not dissociate into ions and, thus, do not conduct electricity when dissolved in water, classifying them as non-electrolytes.
Further reading
Is Glucose (C6H12O6) an Electrolyte?
Is CH3OH (Methanol) an Electrolyte?
Why is HCl a Strong Electrolyte?
Why is NaOH a Strong Electrolyte?
Is NH3 (Ammonia) a Strong or Weak Electrolyte?
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References
- What’s the Difference Between Sucrose and Fructose? (2021, October 25). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/whats-the-difference-between-sucrose-and-fructose
- 11.2: Ions in Solution (Electrolytes). (2016, May 9). Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Book%3A_ChemPRIME_(Moore_et_al.)/11%3A_Reactions_in_Aqueous_Solutions/11.02%3A_Ions_in_Solution_(Electrolytes)
