how does table salt (NaCl) dissolve in water?
A. each sodium ion is surrounded by chloride ions
B. each NaCl molecule is surrounded by waster molecules
C. Water molecules hydrogen bond with sodium ion and chloride ions
D. the oxygen atoms in water molecules attract sodium ions

Question

how does table salt (NaCl) dissolve in water?
A. each sodium ion is surrounded by chloride ions
B. each NaCl molecule is surrounded by waster molecules
C. Water molecules hydrogen bond with sodium ion and chloride ions
D. the oxygen atoms in water molecules attract sodium ions

fifib · Answer

@JFraser

photon336 · Answer

Well think about it right? NaCL is ionic. and water is polar. when Na Cl dissolves in water you get Na+ ions and CL- ions, which can interact with the water molecules. remember ionic compounds arent really a bond it's rather a transfer of electrons. a huge part of solubility is that like dissolves like, polar compounds dissolve well in polar solvents.

whpalmer4 · Answer

That doesn't explain how it dissolves, though, more like what happens after it does.

my understanding is that the lone pair electrons of the oxygen atom in the water molecules attracts the positively charged sodium ions out of the edge of the lattice, with the negatively charged chlorine ions being attracted to the hydrogens on either end of the bent water molecule.