What occurs as a salt dissolves in pure water

Water can dissolve salt because the positive part of watermolecules attracts the negative chloride ions and the negative part of water molecules attracts the positive sodium ions.

Salt molecule dissociates into positive sodium ion and negative chlorine ion. Positive sodium ion is attracted by the negative oxygen in the water while the negative chlorine ion is attracted to positive hydrogen in the water. The salt completely dissolves.

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Gallium melts near room temperature and has one of the largest  liquid  ranges of any metal, so it has found use in high temperature thermometers.