Salt dissolved in water is a solution, therefore
- salt is not chemically bonded to water
- the ratio of salt to water may vary
- salt and water retain their own chemical properties
Step-by-step explanation:
Salt (sodium chloride) is formed from positive sodium ions bonded to negative chloride ions. Water can dissolve salt because the positive part of water particles attracts the negative chloride ions of salt. The water particle effects to be charged negatively near the atom of oxygen and positively near the atom of hydrogen.
Since contrasts attract, the water molecules tend to join collectively like magnets. Water is called the universal solvent since it can solve more substances than any other liquid. The salt and water retain their unique chemical properties.