Q1. [1] § 2.2 WHAT DO ALL ACIDS AND ALL BASES HAVE IN COMMON?
Four solutions, namely fructose, ethanol, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide filled in four separate beakers are connected one by one in an electric circuit with a bulb. The solutions in which the bulb will glow when current is passed are :
- (A) ethanol and hydrochloric acid
- (B) fructose and ethanol
- (C) fructose and sodium hydroxide
- (D) hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 31/5/1 Q22
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:42 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(D) hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide
HCl and NaOH ionize in water to produce H⁺ and OH⁻ ions respectively, allowing current to flow and the bulb to glow. Fructose and ethanol do not ionize, so they do not conduct electricity.
Source: Chapter 2, Section 2.2
Explanation
The key concept is ionic conduction: only solutions that produce free ions conduct electricity. Acids produce H⁺(aq) and bases produce OH⁻(aq) — both allow current flow. Non-electrolytes like fructose (sugar) and ethanol have no ions in solution, so the bulb stays off. Examiners expect you to identify the two ionic solutions correctly.
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