What is molar conductivity at infinite dilution?

Molar conductivity at infinite dilution, often denoted as Λ₀ (lambda zero), is a measure of the conductivity of a solution when the concentration of the electrolyte approaches zero (infinite dilution). This concept is commonly used in the field of electrochemistry to characterize the conductivity behavior of electrolytic solutions and to study the individual ions' contribution to the overall conductivity.

When an electrolyte (a compound that dissociates into ions in solution) is dissolved in a solvent, it forms ions that can carry electric charge, thus allowing the solution to conduct electricity. The molar conductivity at infinite dilution helps us understand how effectively ions can carry charge in a solution when they are well-separated due to very low concentrations.

Mathematically, the molar conductivity at infinite dilution (Λ₀) is defined as the limiting value of the molar conductivity (Λ) as the concentration of the electrolyte approaches zero:

Λ₀ = lim (Λ as c → 0)

Here, Λ represents the molar conductivity at a finite concentration (c) of the electrolyte.

The molar conductivity at infinite dilution is useful in comparing the conductivities of different electrolytes and understanding the contributions of individual ions to the overall conductivity. It's also used in various theoretical models and equations related to conductivity and ionic behavior.