Sodium Chloride

Commonly referred to as salt (although sea salt also contains other chemical salts), sodium chloride is an ionic compound containing sodium and chloride ions in a 1:1 ratio. Having a molar mass of 22.99 and a molarity of 35.45, 100 g of NaCl contains 39.34 g Na and 60.66 g Cl. Sodium chloride is the salt that determines the salinity of seawater and the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms. Table salt, in its edible form, is commonly used as a condiment and food preservative. Many industrial processes use large quantities of sodium chloride, and it is a major source of sodium and chlorine compounds used in later chemical reactions. A second major application of sodium chloride is de-icing roads during sub-freezing weather.