What happens to a salt when it is dissolved in a solution?

When a salt is dissolved in a solution, it dissociates into its ions. This process involves the separation of the individual cations and anions that make up the salt. For example, when table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is added to water, the sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions separate due to the interaction with water molecules. The polar nature of water allows it to surround and stabilize these ions, which prevents them from recombining and keeps them dispersed in the solution.

This dissociation is crucial for various biochemical processes and reactions that occur in solution, as ions are often the active species that participate in chemical interactions. It contrasts with the formation of a precipitate, which occurs when certain conditions cause ions in solution to combine and form a solid that settles out of the solution. Ionization refers to the process where neutral molecules gain or lose electrons to form ions, which is not applicable to typical salts that already exist as ionic compounds. Remaining undissolved indicates that the salt does not interact significantly with the solvent, unlike what happens with soluble salts. Thus, the process of dissociation into ions is a fundamental aspect of how salts behave when they interact with solvents, particularly water.