What term describes substances that release both positive and negative ions in solution?

The term that describes substances that release both positive and negative ions in solution is electrolytes. Electrolytes are critical in various physiological processes and are essential for conducting electrical activity in the body. They include a variety of compounds, such as salts, acids, and bases, which can dissociate in solution to produce cations (positive ions) and anions (negative ions).

In the context of the question, while salts do release both positive and negative ions, they are a specific type of electrolyte. The broader category encompasses all substances that dissociate into ions in solution, which includes acids that release hydrogen ions and bases that release hydroxide ions along with their respective conjugate ions. Therefore, electrolytes is the most inclusive term to describe substances that produce both types of ions upon dissociation in solution.