What does the statement" The properties of salt are different from the properties of the elements that go into making them" mean?

Use NaCl has an example.

Na is sodium. It is a metal, very reactive, toxic because it reacts with fluid from the body to produce caustic (NaOH) etc. Chlorine is the other element. It is an extremely poisonous gas, greenish-yellow color.
Salt, NaCl, on the other hand, is not toxic, is a solid, white crystals, and it varies widely from the properties of its components.

What does the statement the properties of salt are different from the properties of elements that go into making them mean

Use NaCl has an example.

Na is sodium. It is a metal, very reactive, toxic because it reacts with fluid from the body to produce caustic (NaOH) etc. Chlorine is the other element. It is an extremely poisonous gas, greenish-yellow color.
Salt, NaCl, on the other hand, is not toxic, is a solid, white crystals, and it varies widely from the properties of its components.

Oh, that's just a fancy way of saying that salt is like the awkward middle child in a family. It's a completely different beast compared to its parents – sodium and chlorine! Salt may be made up of sodium and chlorine, but it's got its own unique set of properties. It's like saying a cheeseburger is different from a cow and a stalk of wheat. They may be the ingredients, but they definitely don't act the same way!

The statement "The properties of salt are different from the properties of the elements that go into making it" means that when two or more elements combine to form salt, the resulting compound has different properties than the individual elements alone.

To understand this statement, we need to first recognize that salt is made up of two elements: sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Sodium is a shiny, silver-colored metal, while chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas. Both sodium and chlorine have very different properties.

Sodium, as an individual element, is highly reactive and combustible. It reacts explosively with water and has a low melting point. On the other hand, chlorine, as an individual element, is a toxic gas with a pungent odor. It is also corrosive and can cause irritation to the respiratory system.

However, when sodium and chlorine combine chemically to form salt (sodium chloride), the resulting compound has completely different properties. Salt is a white crystalline solid that is stable, non-reactive, and safe for consumption. It has a high melting point and does not react explosively with water or corrode other substances.

So, the properties of salt, such as its stability, appearance, and reactivity, are completely different from the properties of the individual elements (sodium and chlorine) that make it up. This is a common phenomenon in chemistry, where the combination of elements can result in compounds with distinct properties.

it means that salt is made up of different stuff then the things that you use to make it.