What is the primary characteristic of an electrolyte?

The primary characteristic of an electrolyte is that it conducts electricity in solution. This behavior is attributable to the presence of ions, which are charged particles that can move freely within a solvent, typically water. When an electrolyte dissolves, it dissociates into its constituent ions, allowing the solution to conduct an electric current. This ability to conduct electricity is what distinguishes electrolytes from non-electrolytes, which do not produce ions and, therefore, cannot conduct electricity in solution.

In contrast, being always a solid or existing only in gaseous form does not accurately capture the nature of electrolytes, as many are found in liquid state when dissolved. Furthermore, stating that an electrolyte has no effect on electrical conductivity fails to reflect its defining characteristic, since the very presence of an electrolyte is fundamentally linked to increased conductivity in a solution due to ion mobility.