Sodium Chloride is an alkali halide with an fcc crystal structure. The basis is two ions, a sodium cation and a chlorine anion. The crystal lattice parameter is 0.563 nm. The diagram shows both a unit ...

Our measurements were carried out by a very sensitive photon counter. Samples of clear sodium chloride crystals were exposed to X-rays of 50 kv. and then irradiated by visible light for periods of ...

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

So does sugar. Much of what we salt the Earth with every winter comes from underground networks of salt crystal that formed when various ancient seas dried up. As natural as it may be, rock salt ...