Final answer:
A strong electrolyte is a substance that completely dissociates into ions in solution, and this includes all soluble ionic compounds, strong acids, and strong bases. Substances that do not fully dissociate are considered weak electrolytes.
Step-by-step explanation:
A strong electrolyte is defined as a substance that dissociates completely into ions when dissolved in water, creating an aqueous solution that conducts electricity very well. Some key points to remember about strong electrolytes include:
All soluble ionic compounds are considered strong electrolytes.Strong acids and strong bases are also strong electrolytes due to their complete dissociation in water to form H+ and OH- ions, respectively.While some polar molecular compounds are nonelectrolytes in their pure state, they can become electrolytes when dissolved in water, such as hydrogen chloride (HCl), which is a strong electrolyte when dissolved to form hydrochloric acid.
In contrast, substances that do not fully dissociate into ions are known as weak electrolytes. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is that a strong electrolyte dissociates completely into ions in solution (b).