When sodium chloride dissolves in water, how do the water molecules orient around the ions?
A)Water molecules are randomly oriented around the ions.
B)The hydrogen atoms point toward both the sodium and the chloride.
C)The oxygen atoms point toward both the sodium and the chloride.
D)Around sodium the hydrogen atoms point toward the sodium, and around chloride the oxygen atoms point toward the chloride.
E)Around sodium the oxygen atoms point toward the sodium, and around chloride the hydrogen atoms point toward the chloride.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Water is a polar molecule with a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms. When sodium chloride dissolves, the oxygen atoms (negative side) orient towards the positively charged sodium ions, and the hydrogen atoms (positive side) orient towards the negatively charged chloride ions.

When Sodium Chloride Dissolves in Water, How Do the Water