Why does distilled water not conduct electricity, whereas rain water does?
Distilled water does not conduct electricity because it is pure and does not contain any ions. The context states that "The electric current is carried through the acidic solution by ions." Without ions, there is no medium to carry the electric current through the solution.
Rain water conducts electricity because it contains dissolved substances that produce ions in solution. As mentioned in the context, "Acidic and basic solutions in water conduct electricity because they produce hydrogen and hydroxide ions respectively." The presence of these ions enables rain water to conduct electricity.
Explanation
The textbook context explains that electric current is carried through solutions by ions. Distilled water, being pure, lacks any ions to carry current. Rain water, however, contains dissolved acidic gases (like CO2, SO2) from the atmosphere which dissolve to form acids, producing H+ ions in solution. The context explicitly states that "Acidic and basic solutions in water conduct electricity because they produce hydrogen and hydroxide ions respectively." This fundamental concept explains the difference in conductivity between the two types of water.