Development of two conductivity apparatus for teaching education

Development of two conductivity apparatus for teaching education

Development of two conductivity apparatus for teaching education:
elementary, middle and high school.
C. A. Villa Navarro1, E. A. Gómez Santiago2, R. Molina Zapata3, J. A. Camarena Gómez4, R. Castañeda
Valderrama5, J. Avalos Martínez6 F. Zurita Martínez7 M. A, Carreón Álvarez8
1-,5, 8
Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad
de Guadalajara. Carretera Guadalajara-Ameca Km.45.5, C.P. 46600. Ameca, Jalisco.
6
Departamento de Química, Área de Electroquímica, Universidad Autónoma MetropolitanaIztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco # 186, Col. Vicentina, Del Iztapalapa México D.F, 09340.
7
Departamento deIngeniería Química, Centro Universitario de la Cienega, Universidad de
Guadalajara. Av. Universidad 1115. Col. Lindavista, Ocotlán, Jal.
[email protected]
1. Introduction.
Electrical conductivity is the ability of a body to allow the passage of electrical current through itself.
It is also a natural property defined as the characteristic of each body that represents the ease of the
electrons (and holes in the case of semiconductors) to pass through it.
The conductivity in liquid media (dissolution) is related to the presence of salts in solution, whose
dissociation generates positive and negative ions capable of delivering electrical energy when the
liquid is subjected to an electric field. These drivers are called electrolytes or ionic conductive
electrolyte. The conductivity varies with temperature, which is one of the most important
characteristics of the materials and it is the inverse of resistivity. Its unit is S/m (Siemens per meter).
2. Experimental methodology
The conductivity apparatus was constructed by making the circuit shown in Fig. 1. The conductivity
of KCl solutions of different concentration was measured with the constructed conductivity
apparatus.
Figure 1. Electronic diagram of the conductivity apparatus.
3. Conclusions and Results.
It was possible to measure the conductivity of conductive liquids with the apparatus. These circuits can
help to understand the concept of conductivity in educational levels: basic, intermediate and uppermiddle. The measured conductivity response was directly proportional to the concentration of KCl and it
can vary if other substances are used. The circuits to measure the conductivity was making at low cost.
4. References
[1] T. Russo, J. Chem. Educ., 63 (11), 981, (1986).
[2] H. N Alyea. F. B. Dutton, Tested Demonstrations in Chemistry, 6th Ed., Journal of Chemical. (Also compiled in J.
Chem. Educ., 1955, 32, pages unnumbered.) 1965