Question

In solid (salt) form, salt ions are close in proximity to one another, but in the presence of liquid water, the ions will interact with the partial charges of the water molecules, thus weakening the ionic bond?

Answer 1

Ionic compounds like salt dissociate in water because water molecules solvate the ions, weakening the ionic bond and allowing the ions to move freely in solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

When ionic compounds like sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolve in water, they undergo a process known as dissociation. In this process, the ions in the solid, such as Na+ and Cl− in the case of table salt, separate and become surrounded by water molecules. Water's partial charges, the negative end (oxygen) and the positive end (hydrogen), interact with the respective positive and negative ions, creating spheres of hydration. This interaction reduces the strong electrostatic forces that hold together the ions in the solid salt, allowing them to move freely in solution as solvated ions. Consequently, solid salt's ionic bond weakens upon dissolving due to the solvation effect of water.