Electrolysis in conductivity cell while measuring the conductance? [closed]








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My textbook says we could measure the conductance of an electrolyte by passing an AC current through a conductivity cell and wheatstone bridge's balance.But will it not electrolysis the solution which could act as a sink of power and make us end up getting the wrong value?




If a DC tension is applied through an electrolytic solution with a very low voltage, the ions will move towards the electrodes for probably less than one second, then this migration will stop as the solution gets polarized. The accumulation of positive charges around one pole, and of negative charges around the other pole will prevent new charges from migrating and reaching the polar regions. No electrolysis will occur. But there is a small current during this short time. Now if later on, the low voltage is suddenly reversed, the migration of the ions is reversed, and the current will also last less than one second. long enough to get the same sort of polarization of the electrodes (but with reversed signs). If the voltage is AC, the current will be maintained in the beginning of every new period. There will be no electrolysis at all. But some electric energy is spent for maintaining this comings and goings in solution.


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