What happens when table salt (NaCl) is added to water?

1 Answer
Sep 8, 2016

Hydration of the individual ions and formation of discrete aqua complexes, #Na^+(aq)# and #Cl^-(aq)#.

Explanation:

By most definitions, this is properly considered an example of chemical change, i.e. the formation of new substances, and the making and breaking of strong chemical bonds. We write #Na^+(aq)#; in solution we have the hexaqua complexes, #[Na(OH_2)_6]^+# and #[Cl(H_2O)_(4-6)]^-#.