Why is the dissolution of sodium chloride in water endothermic?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 29, 2015

The dissolution of sodium chloride in water is slightly endothermic. Why?

Explanation:

When salt dissolves in water you are breaking strong ionic bonds. Of course, you are making bonds between water and the ion to make the aquated ion, #Na^+(aq)#, which is a shorthand for the #[Na(OH_2)_6]^+# complex, but this bond formation is not exothermic enough to compensate for the breaking of the strong ionic bonds between the sodium and chloride ions.

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