Term: ionic strength, \(I\) https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03180 Definition: On a molality basis, \[I_{m}=\frac{1}{2}\ \sum m_{\text{B}}\ z_{\text{B}}^{2}\] where the sum goes over all the ions B. z B is the charge number of ion B. The ionic strength on a concentration basis is defined analogously \[I_{c}=\frac{1}{2}\ \sum c_{\text{B}}\ z_{\text{B}}^{2}\] Related Terms: 1) charge number (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00993). Source: Green Book, 2nd ed., p. 50 (https://goldbook.iupac.org/files/pdf/green_book_2ed.pdf) Citation: 'ionic strength, \(I\)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03180 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.