As the attractions from the water molecules and their motion pulls the ions apart, the sodium chloride crystal dissolves. The positive areas of the water molecules surround the negative Chloride ions.

The reaction releases a lot of heat as the ionic compound sodium chloride is formed. A sodium and chlorine atom are near each other. An electron from each atom feels the attraction from the other atom ...

These charged components are arranged in crystals of salt in a regular repeating pattern. Each sodium ion is surrounded by six chloride ions and each chloride ion is surrounded by six sodium ions.