What can be said about opposing forces of attraction when sodium chloride dissolves in water?
The Na^+ and the Cl^- attractive forces are holding the crystal lattice together while the water dipoles are trying to pull the ions out of the crystal lattice.
When sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves in water, the opposing forces of attraction can be explained by considering the properties of the substances involved.
Sodium chloride is an ionic compound, consisting of positively charged sodium ions (Na+) and negatively charged chloride ions (Cl-). In its solid state, these ions are strongly attracted to each other through electrostatic forces, forming a tightly packed crystal lattice structure.
Water, on the other hand, is a polar molecule. It has a slightly positive end (hydrogen atoms) and a slightly negative end (oxygen atom), resulting in a dipole moment. This allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules and polar substances.
When sodium chloride is added to water, the polar water molecules interact with the charged ions of Na+ and Cl-. This interaction disrupts the attractive forces between the Na+ and Cl- ions in the crystal lattice, causing the solid NaCl to dissolve.
The opposing forces of attraction in this case involve the attractive forces between the ions themselves and the repulsive forces between water molecules. The attractive forces between the ions and water molecules (called solvation or hydration) overcome the attractive forces within the solid NaCl lattice.
In summary, the opposing forces of attraction when sodium chloride dissolves in water involve the attractive forces between the ions and water molecules, which overcome the attractive forces within the solid NaCl lattice.