You drop a handful of salt into a glass of water. Which of the following BEST describes what is happening inside the glass at the molecular level?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When salt (sodium chloride) is added to water, it dissociates into its individual ions: sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-). These ions are then surrounded by water molecules, with the positively charged hydrogen ends of the water molecules attracted to the negatively charged chloride ions and the negatively charged oxygen ends of the water molecules attracted to the positively charged sodium ions. This results in the salt dissolving in the water to create a homogeneous mixture. There is no covalent bonding occurring between the ions and water molecules.

You Drop a Handful of Salt into a Glass of Water