If the ionizing power of a solvent is changed by the presence of an electrolyte, then the law of chemical equilibrium, in its simple form, would not apply to the ionization of such electrolytes in varying concentrations—as little as we should expect to obtain the same constant for acetic acid in aqueous solution and in alcoholic solution, the ionizing power of alcohol being much smaller than that of water. The deviation from the law, naturally, would be most marked in the case of those electrolytes which ionize so easily as readily to produce high concentrations of ions. It may be said that ‹laws based on the electrical properties of salt solutions› seem to be the predominating laws governing the ionization of electrolytes and modifying, in certain cases, the chemical laws based on the study of non-electrolytes.[214] For the purposes of qualitative analysis, it will suffice to bear in mind the fact that the ionization[215] of salts, strong acids and strong bases does not conform to the laws of mass action, and the fact that practically all salts (with the notable exceptions, among common salts, given on p. 107) ‹are very readily ionized› in aqueous solution, namely to the extent of 40 to 85% in solutions of such moderate concentration as 0.1 molar.[216] «Some Applications of the Law of Chemical Equilibrium.»—According to the discussions given above, for the ionization of acetic acid, CH_{3}CO_{2}H ⇄ CH_{3}CO_{2}^{−} + H^{+} we have the relation [CH_{3}CO_{2}^{−}] × [H^{+}] / [CH_{3}CO_{2}H] = K_{ionization}. [p112] If the concentrations of the components are modified in any way, the condition of equilibrium is disturbed and change will result, always toward the restoration of equilibrium. The changes, in the case of purely ionic actions, are found to take place with an enormous velocity, equilibrium being restored almost instantly. (1) If the solution of acetic acid, represented in the above equation, is diluted by an equal volume of water, the condition of equilibrium is disturbed: ½ [CH_{3}CO_{2}^{−}] × ½ [H^{+}] / (½ [CH_{3}CO_{2}H]) < K_{ionization.} The ratio is smaller than that required for equilibrium, and there will be a change towards increasing the ratio. The acid will ionize more rapidly than it will be formed from the acetate and hydrogen ions (which collide less frequently in the diluted solution) and a new condition of equilibrium will be reached, when more of the acid is ionized. We found, as a matter of fact, that the more a solution of acetic acid is diluted, the larger is the proportion of ionized acid (see p. 99). (2) If the concentration of the acetate-ion is increased in the solution by the addition of a salt of acetic acid, say sodium acetate, we have ‹x› [CH_{3}CO_{2}^{−}] × [H^{+}] / [CH_{3}CO_{2}H] > K_{ionization.}