Distilled water does not conduct electricity because it is pure and free from ions or dissolved salts. Ions are necessary for conducting electricity in a liquid. Distilled water consists only of H2O molecules with very few ions, so it has very low electrical conductivity. In contrast, rainwater contains dissolved salts, acids (such as carbonic acid from dissolved carbon dioxide), and other impurities that dissociate into ions. These ions allow rainwater to conduct electricity.
Key Points
- Distilled water is purified by distillation to remove acids, bases, and salts, resulting in almost no ions present.
- Rainwater picks up impurities and dissolved gases from the atmosphere, providing ions like hydrogen ions (H+) and carbonate ions.
- Electrical conductivity in water depends on the presence of free ions to carry electric charge.
- Without these ions, distilled water acts as an insulator, while rainwater, carrying ions, acts as a conductor.
This explains why distilled water does not conduct electricity, whereas rainwater does.
