What is the difference between sugar and salt dissolved in water?

Charlotte Young | 2023-04-07 08:02:25 | page views:1996
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Charlotte Richardson

Studied at the University of Lagos, Lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
As a subject matter expert in chemistry, I can explain the differences between sugar and salt when dissolved in water.

Sugar, specifically table sugar or sucrose, is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose molecules. When sugar is dissolved in water, it undergoes a process called hydration. The water molecules surround the sugar molecules, and the sugar molecules do not dissociate into ions. Instead, they remain intact as covalent molecules. This is because the sucrose molecule is held together by covalent bonds, and these bonds are not broken by the water.

Salt, on the other hand, is a common name for sodium chloride (NaCl). When salt is dissolved in water, it undergoes ionization or dissociation. The ionic bonds between the sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions are broken by the polar water molecules, resulting in a solution that contains free sodium ions and chloride ions. These ions are attracted to the polar water molecules due to the electrostatic forces between them.

The key differences between sugar and salt in water are:

1. Chemical Composition: Sugar is an organic compound made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, while salt is an inorganic compound consisting of sodium and chlorine.

2. Dissociation in Water: Sugar remains as whole molecules, whereas salt dissociates into ions.

3. Taste: Sugar is sweet, while salt is salty.

4. Physical Properties: The solution of sugar in water is neutral, whereas a salt solution can conduct electricity due to the presence of ions.


Harper Patel

Studied at the University of Lagos, Lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Sodium chloride is an ionic solid, and when it dissolves in water, its individual sodium and chloride ions are dissociated from one another. Sugar molecules, on the other hand, maintain the bonds between their constituent atoms when dissolved, and thus remain as whole molecules in the solution.
2023-04-13 08:02:25

Harper Cooper

QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
Sodium chloride is an ionic solid, and when it dissolves in water, its individual sodium and chloride ions are dissociated from one another. Sugar molecules, on the other hand, maintain the bonds between their constituent atoms when dissolved, and thus remain as whole molecules in the solution.
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