Question

Which of these BEST describes how sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves in water?
The NaCl gets stuck inside the water molecules.

The NaCl pulls the water molecules apart from one another.

The water molecules pull the sodium ions away from the chlorine ions.

The water molecules react with the NaCl, producing sodium and chlorine.

Answer 1

The BEST description of how sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves in water is:

**The water molecules pull the sodium ions away from the chlorine ions.**

When NaCl is added to water, the polar water molecules interact with the positive sodium ions (Na⁺) and the negative chloride ions (Cl⁻). The positive end of the water molecule (hydrogens) is attracted to the chloride ions, while the negative end (oxygen) is attracted to the sodium ions. This interaction helps to separate the ions from each other, allowing them to disperse throughout the water.