How does water dissolve salt?

• A. Water molecules compress the salt crystals until they dissolve.
• B. Water molecules surround and separate the ions in salt due to their polarity.
• C. Water molecules break the covalent bonds in salt, forming new compounds.
• D. Water molecules react chemically with salt to form a new substance.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that salt (NaCl) is an ionic compound composed of sodium ions (Na⁺) and chloride ions (Cl^-).
2. Recognize that water (H₂O) is a polar molecule, meaning it has a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms and a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom.
3. When salt is added to water, the positive end of the water molecules (hydrogen) is attracted to the chloride ions (Cl^-), and the negative end (oxygen) is attracted to the sodium ions (Na⁺).
4. The attraction between water molecules and the ions in salt is strong enough to overcome the ionic bonds holding the salt together, causing the ions to separate and disperse in the water.
5. This process of surrounding and separating the ions is called solvation, and it results in the salt dissolving in water, forming a homogeneous solution.