Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry 1.56C Ionic compounds & conductivity
Practise explaining conductivity in ionic substances by linking solid lattices, molten salts and aqueous solutions to mobile ions.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2019
- Course
- Chemistry 4CH1
Practise explaining conductivity in ionic substances by linking solid lattices, molten salts and aqueous solutions to mobile ions.
Iron metal was discovered several thousand years ago. Iron is produced industrially from iron(III) oxide by extraction using carbon.
Sodium is a metal in Group 1 of the Periodic Table. Sodium was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807. It is produced industrially by the electrolysis of sodium chloride.
The diagram shows a simplified version of the Downs cell, which can be used to produce sodium industrially. The electrolyte is molten sodium chloride.

Explain why the molten electrolyte conducts electricity.
- ions are present
- ions can move
Marking guidance:
- If the answer refers to electrons moving, score 0.
- The movement mark depends on the ions mark.