What occurs when 1 mole of NaCl is dissolved in water?

When 1 mole of sodium chloride (NaCl) is dissolved in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions: one mole of sodium ions (Na+) and one mole of chloride ions (Cl-). This process is known as dissociation. NaCl is an ionic compound, and when it enters the polar solvent water, the polar water molecules surround the individual Na+ and Cl- ions. This interaction reduces the electrostatic forces holding the ionic compound together, allowing it to dissociate into separate ions that are then solvated by water molecules.

Understanding this dissociation is fundamental in physiology and various applications, such as understanding electrolyte balance in body fluids, osmosis, and how certain drugs may work when they dissociate in solution. The other options do not accurately represent the physical behavior of NaCl in water; therefore, they do not align with the correct dissolution process.