Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Electrolytes and Conductivity
Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. Strong electrolytes, like Ba(OH)2 and H2SO4, fully dissociate into their constituent ions, which facilitates electrical conductivity. The presence of free-moving ions in solution is essential for conducting electricity.
Recommended video:
Electrolytes and Strong Acids
Neutralization Reaction
A neutralization reaction occurs when an acid reacts with a base to form water and a salt. In this case, H2SO4 (an acid) reacts with Ba(OH)2 (a base) to produce BaSO4 (a salt) and water. This reaction consumes the ions responsible for conductivity, leading to a decrease in the solution's ability to conduct electricity.
Recommended video:
Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds
Ionic Strength and Ion Pairing
Ionic strength refers to the concentration of ions in a solution, which can affect the behavior of ions, including their ability to conduct electricity. When Ba(OH)2 and H2SO4 are mixed, the formation of BaSO4 precipitate reduces the number of free ions in solution. Additionally, ion pairing can occur, where ions associate and reduce the number of free-moving charge carriers, further diminishing conductivity.
Recommended video:
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory