Can you describe the particle attraction that occurs as sodium chloride dissolves in water?

Answer 1

As sodium chloride dissolves in water it breaks down into sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-). Each of these ions will attract the polar ends of water. Remember that water has a dipole moment because the oxygen atoms (high electronegativity) pull electron density towards itself, rendering that side partially negative, while the hydrogens become partially positively charged. So water is polar because one side is partially negative, while the other side is partially positive. When Na+ and Cl- float in water, water will gravitate to these ions, surrounding each ions by the sides that are oppositely charged the ion. For example, Na+ would be attracted to the partially negative side of water (by the oxygen), whereas Cl- would be attracted to the partially positive side of water (by the hydrogens). This particle attraction creates a hydration shell around the ions in water. 

Answer 2

First let's describe what we have before we drop salt into water...

1. Polar water molecules contain the negatively charged oxygen "end" of the molecule and the positively charged hydrogen "ends". Water molecules are attracted together by hydrogen "bonds", the most attractive of the weak intermolecular forces (IMFs).
2. Three dimensional crystals of sodium chloride contain positively charged sodium cations (positive) and negatively charged chloride anions (negative). These ions are bound by very strong ionic bonds.

And we drop salt crystals into the water...

1. Water molecules must overcome the attractive force between one another (requires energy to break hydrogen bonds), and
2. Sodium cations must overcome the attractive force to chloride anions (requires energy to break ionic bonds).
3. Water molecules form new ion-dipole attractions to each ion (energy is released when new bonds form)...
4. Chloride anions are surrounded by water molecules with the positive hydrogen "ends" attracting to the negative chloride anions.
5. Sodium cations are surrounded by water molecules with the negative oxygen "ends" attracting to the positive sodium cations.

Answer 3

NaCl is an ionic solid. When it dissolves in water, it dissociates to form Na⁺ and Cl^- ions. These ions are solvated by water molecules by forming ion-dipole interactions.

Water (H₂O) is polar with a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom, and a partial positive charge on each hydrogen. In solution, the water molecules orient themselves in a manner where the negative oxygen forms interactions with the positive Na⁺ ion, and the positive hydrogens form interactions with the negative Cl^- ion.