How do ionic compounds dissolve?

1 Answer
Oct 2, 2014

Something similar was anwered here .

Ionic solids/compounds contain positive and negative ions, which are held together by the strong force of attraction between particles with opposite charges (ionic bonding).
When one of these ionic compounds dissolves in water or any other polar solvent, the ions that form the ionic compound are released into solution.

You can see in the picture below how they become associated with the polar solvent molecules.

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