What are the chemical properties of sodium chloride?


Quick Answer

Sodium chloride is composed of approximately 60 percent chloride and 40 percent sodium elements. Commonly known as table salt, it is a white-colored or transparent water-soluble crystalline solid with the chemical symbol NaCl.

Continue Reading

Full Answer

Sodium chloride boils at 1465 degrees Celsius and melts at 801 degrees Celsius. It is salty-tasting and corrosive to base metals. The pH of sodium chloride ranges from 6.7 to 7.3. This chemical compound has a hygroscopic quality, which means that it is capable of drawing moisture from the ambient environment. The molecular weight of sodium chloride is approximately 58.44. Sodium chloride is found in nature in salt bed deposits with layers of the mineral halite and in bodies of salt water, including oceans and certain lakes, such as the Great Salt Lake.

Learn more about Chemistry

Related Questions