Question

(b) Briefly explain how the presence of charged ions in ionic solids such as NaCl(s) helps to explain why NaCl(s) is a soluble in water.

Answer 1

Answer:

-The stronger electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions causes the Sodium chloride to break apart until it completely dissolves in the water.

Explanation:

-Sodium Chloride has positively charged sodium ions, $Na^+$ and negatively charged chloride ions, $Cl^-$.

-Water on the other hand has positively charged Hydrogen ions,$H^+$ and negatively charged Oxygen ions, $O^{2-}$ due to the difference in electroneganivity.

-When dissolved in water, the positively charged sodium ions will attract the partially negatively charged oxygen ions. The negatively charged chloride ions will be attracted to the positively charged hydrogen ions in the reaction as below:

$NaCl+H_2O->NaOH+HCL\\\\Na^++Cl^-+H_2O->Na^++(OH)^-+H^++Cl^-$