Mississippi Science CHE.8.4
The Standard
- CHE.8
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the nature of properties of various types of chemical solutions.
Design, conduct, and communicate the results of experiments to test the conductivity of common ionic and covalent compounds in solution.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Solutions
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students plan and run a fair test of how common substances conduct electricity when dissolved in water. They measure conductivity, compare results, and explain what the readings show about ions in solution.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student uses the same water volume and solute mass for each sample, and tests distilled water as a control. They record readings in a table and use the results to explain why saltwater conducts better than sugar water.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think dry salt crystals conduct because saltwater does, or that dissolved sugar makes ions. They may assume every covalent solution is nonconductive, though vinegar forms some ions in water. Tap water can give a reading, so it is not a good blank control.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Predict whether 1 g of salt or 1 g of sugar in 100 mL of distilled water will conduct better. Name one variable to keep the same and explain your prediction using ions.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Dissolve 1 g each of salt, baking soda, and sugar in separate 100 mL portions of distilled water, then test each and the water.
Ask, “Why does saltwater conduct but sugar water does not?” Have pairs draw dissolved particles and use their sketches to explain the readings.
Give pairs conductivity readings for salt, sugar, baking soda, and vinegar solutions; have them rank the samples and explain vinegar’s reading.
Compare a sports drink label with distilled water, then predict which liquid will conduct better and test both with a conductivity meter.
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Related Standards
- P.4.6A.2
Plan and conduct scientific investigations to classify different materials as either an insulator or conductor of electricity.
- CHE.6.2
Plan, conduct, and communicate the results of investigations to demonstrate different types of simple chemical reactions.
- CHE.8.6
Design, conduct, and communicate the results of experiments to produce a specified volume of a solution of a specific molarity, and dilute a solution of a known...
- PHS.3.2
Using the periodic table and scientific methods, investigate the formation of compounds through ionic and covalent bonding.
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