Sodium chloride cannot conduct electricity in the solid state because it
Answer Details
Sodium chloride (NaCl) cannot conduct electricity in the solid state because it does not contain mobile ions. In the solid state, the sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) ions are held tightly in a lattice structure, and cannot move freely to conduct an electric current. When dissolved in water, NaCl dissociates into its ions, which are free to move and conduct electricity. Therefore, NaCl is an example of an ionic compound that conducts electricity only when dissolved in water or melted.