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Explain hydration of sodium chloride. |
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Answer» Solution :Sodium chloride (common salt) is an important component of our diet and is formed by reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. `NaOH + HCl HARR NaCl + H_2O` It exists in solid state as a cluster of positively charged sodium IONS `(Na^+)` and negatively charged chloride ions `(Cl^-)` which are held together due to electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged species.  The electrostatic forces between two charges are inversely proportional to dielectric constant of the medium. Water, a universal solvent, possesses a very high dielectric constant of 80. Thus, when sodium chloride is dissolved in water, the electrostatic interactions are reduced by a factor of 80 and this FACILITATES the ions to move FREELY in the solution. Also, they are well-separated due to hydration with water molecules. |
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