12.1 p1 What is an electrolyte? When dissolved in water, salts usually disperse into the components for example, NaCl dissolved in water would give us Na+ and Cl- which are known as ions. Once the ions are in the water the solution as a whole will conduct electricity and is known as an electrolyte solution and the individual ions that have been dissolved from the salt are known as electrolytes. What are they used for? Electrolytes are used in the body to maintain the nerve impulses in the body especially in the skin and muscles, because the electrolytes are dissolved in blood this means your blood can conduct electricity and the impulses that happen across the synapses in your body are electrical so this means the impulses can travel across