Which of the following is a characteristic of a weak electrolyte?

• A. It completely dissociates into ions in water.
• B. It partially ionizes in aqueous solution.
• C. It does not produce any ions in solution.
• D. It conducts electricity as well as a strong electrolyte.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what an electrolyte is: an electrolyte is a substance that produces ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity.
2. Recognize the difference between strong and weak electrolytes: strong electrolytes completely dissociate into ions in solution, while weak electrolytes only partially ionize.
3. Analyze the given options by comparing them to the definitions: a weak electrolyte does not fully dissociate, so it only partially ionizes in aqueous solution.
4. Eliminate incorrect options: 'completely dissociates' describes a strong electrolyte, 'does not produce any ions' means it is a nonelectrolyte, and 'conducts electricity as well as a strong electrolyte' is false for weak electrolytes because they conduct less efficiently.
5. Conclude that the characteristic of a weak electrolyte is that it partially ionizes in aqueous solution, producing fewer ions and thus conducting electricity weakly.