Which statement best explains why ionic compounds do not conduct electricity in the solid state but are good electrical conductors when molten or dissolved in water?
- A) In the solid state, ions are held in fixed positions within the crystal lattice, whereas melting or dissolving allows the ions to move freely and carry charge.
- B) In the solid state, electrons are localized in covalent bonds, whereas melting releases delocalized electrons that move throughout the liquid.
- C) In the solid state, ionic compounds exist as neutral molecules, whereas heating or dissolution dissociates them into mobile charged ions.
- D) In the solid state, strong electrostatic repulsions block the flow of electric current, whereas liquids conduct electricity via mobile protons.
