Indeed, sodium chloride — each molecule consists of one sodium atom and one chlorine atom — is often thought of first as an antifreeze, lowering the freezing temperature of water.

Show students that the positive area of a water molecule will be attracted to the negative chloride ion and that the negative area of a water molecule will be attracted to the positive sodium ion.

Researchers have synthesized a powerful new molecule to trap chloride salts. The technology has the potential to reduce its seepage into freshwater systems, which is a threat to drinkable water ...

The only previously known hydrate for sodium chloride was a simple structure with one salt molecule for every two water molecules.

close giant ionic latticeThe structure of ionic compounds formed from millions of oppositely charged ions in a 3 dimensional arrangement. structure with equal numbers of sodium and chloride ions.

Scientists found that three water molecules surrounding a single sodium ion can travel exceptionally fast on a sodium chloride molecule's surface.

The structure on the right has one sodium chloride molecule for every 13 water molecules, and is stable only at high pressure.

MOTW update: August 9, 2021 Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) has been widely used for >200 years; but until now, the crystal structure of its pentahydrate (the normal solid form) had not been established.

Sodium chloride, table salt, a simple structure with one salt molecule for every two water molecules, was previously the only known hydrate.

As salt dissolves in water, it breaks down into two ions: one sodium ion and one chloride ion per sodium chloride molecule.