Final answer:
Sodium chloride dissolves in water because the polar water molecules surround and solvate the sodium ions and chloride ions, forming a stabilizing hydration shell around each ion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves well in water primarily because water molecules surround and solvate both sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-). The process, known as solvation or hydration when specifically referring to water as the solvent, involves water molecules orienting themselves around the ions due to their polar nature. The positive sodium ions are surrounded by the oxygen ends of water molecules, which have a partial negative charge.
Likewise, the negative chloride ions are surrounded by the hydrogen ends of water molecules, which have a partial positive charge. This dissociation in water forms a sphere of hydration around each ion, preventing them from recombining, thus stabilizing the ions in the solution and making NaCl a soluble salt.