Explain the hydration of sodium chloride.

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(N/A) Sodium chloride $(NaCl)$,commonly known as table salt,is an ionic compound formed by the reaction between hydrochloric acid $(HCl)$ and sodium hydroxide $(NaOH)$.
$NaOH + HCl \rightarrow NaCl + H_2O$
In its solid state,it exists as a crystal lattice consisting of positively charged sodium ions $(Na^+)$ and negatively charged chloride ions $(Cl^-)$,which are held together by strong electrostatic forces of attraction.
Water is a polar solvent with a high dielectric constant of approximately $80$. When $NaCl$ is added to water,the electrostatic forces between the $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ ions are significantly reduced by this high dielectric constant.
As a result,the ions dissociate and become surrounded by water molecules. The oxygen atom of the water molecule (which carries a partial negative charge) orients itself towards the $Na^+$ ion,while the hydrogen atoms (which carry a partial positive charge) orient themselves towards the $Cl^-$ ion. This process of surrounding the ions with water molecules is called hydration,which stabilizes the ions in the aqueous solution.

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