An electrolyte is any salt or ionizable molecule that, when dissolved in solution, will give that solution the ability to conduct electricity. This is because when a salt dissolves, its dissociated ions can move freely in solution, allowing a charge to flow.
To understand why salt water conducts electricity, we have to first understand what electricity is. Electricity is a steady flow of electrons or electrically charged particles through a substance. In some conductors, such as copper, the electrons themselves are able to flow through the substance, carrying the current. In other conductors, such as salt water, the current is moved by molecules called ions.
