View source for Sodium chloride

{{Chembox new
|   Name = Sodium  chloride
|   ImageFile = Halite(Salt)USGOV.jpg
|   ImageFile1 = Sodium-chloride-3D-ionic.png
|   IUPACName = Sodium chloride
|   OtherNames = Common salt; halite; table salt
| Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers
|   CASNo = 7647-14-5
|   RTECS = VZ4725000
  }}
| Section2 = {{Chembox Properties
|   Formula = [[Sodium|Na]][[Chlorine|Cl]]
|   MolarMass = 58.442 g/mol
|   Appearance = white and crystalized
|   Density = 2.16 g/cm³, solid
|   Solubility = 35.9 g/100 mL (25 °C)
|   MeltingPt = 801 °C (1074 K)
|   BoilingPt = 1465 °C (1738 K)
  }}
| Section3 = {{Chembox Structure
|   Coordination = Octahedral
|   Structure = [[Cubic crystal system|Face centered cubic]]
  }}
| Section7 = {{Chembox Hazards
|   MainHazards = Irritant and Might Sting
|   NFPA-H = 1
|   NFPA-F =
|   NFPA-R =
|   FlashPt = Non-flammable
|   RPhrases = 36
|   SPhrases = none
  }}
| Section8 = {{Chembox Related
|   OtherAnions = [[Sodium fluoride|NaF]], [[Sodium bromide|NaBr]], [[Sodium iodide|NaI]]
|   OtherCations = [[Lithium chloride|LiCl]], [[Potassium chloride|KCl]], RbCl,<br />[[Caesium chloride|CsCl]], [[Magnesium chloride|MgCl<sub>2</sub>]], [[Calcium chloride|CaCl<sub>2</sub>]]
|   Function = [[salt]]s
|   OtherFunctn = [[Sodium acetate]]
  }}
}}
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{{SI}}
{{Details|salt|sodium in the diet}}
{{Details0|Sodium chloride (inhalation)}}
{{Details0|Sodium chloride (injection)}}
{{CMG}}

==Overview==
'''Sodium chloride''', also known as '''common salt''', '''table salt''', or halite, is a [[chemical compound]] with the [[chemical formula|formula]] [[Sodium|Na]][[Chlorine|Cl]].  Sodium chloride is the [[salt (chemistry)|salt]] most responsible for the salinity of the ocean and of the [[extracellular fluid]] of many multicellular [[organism]]s. As the main ingredient in [[edible salt]], it is commonly used as a condiment and food preservative. In one gram of sodium chloride, there are approximately 0.3933 grams of sodium, and 0.6067 g of chlorine.

==Production and use==
Salt is currently produced by [[evaporation]] of seawater or brine from other sources, such as brine wells and salt lakes, and by mining '''rock salt''', called halite. In 2002, world production was estimated at 210 million metric tonnes, the top five producers being the United States (40.3 million tonnes), China (32.9), Germany (17.7), India (14.5), and Canada (12.3).<ref>Susan R. Feldman. Sodium chloride. ''Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology''. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published online '''2005'''. {{doi|10.1002/0471238961.1915040902051820.a01.pub2}}</ref>

While most people are familiar with the many uses of salt in cooking, they might be unaware that salt is used in a plethora of applications, from manufacturing pulp and paper to setting dyes in textiles and fabric, to producing [[soap]]s and [[detergent]]s. In most of Canada and the northern USA, large quantities of rock salt are used to help clear highways of ice during winter, although "Road Salt" loses its melting ability at temperatures below -15°C to -20°C (5°F to -4°F).

{| class="toccolours" border="1" align="left" style="margin: 1em; border-collapse: collapse;"
! {{chembox header}} | Solubility of NaCl in various solvents<br/ >(g NaCl / 100 g of solvent at 25 °C)
|-
| [[Water (molecule)|H<sub>2</sub>O]] || 36
|-
| [[Ammonia|Liquid ammonia]] || 3.02
|-
| [[Methanol]] || 1.4
|-
| [[Formic acid]] || 5.2
|-
| [[Sulfolane]] || 0.005
|-
| [[Acetonitrile]] || 0.0003
|-
| [[Acetone]] || 0.000042
|-
| [[Formamide]] || 9.4
|-
| [[Dimethylformamide]] || 0.04
|-
| align="center" colspan="2" | Reference:<br />Burgess, J. ''Metal Ions in Solution''<br />(Ellis Horwood, New York, 1978)<br />ISBN 0-85312-027-7
|}

===Synthetic uses===
Salt is also the raw material used to produce [[chlorine]] which itself is required for the production of many modern materials including [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] and [[pesticide]]s. Industrially, elemental chlorine is usually produced by the [[electrolysis]] of sodium chloride dissolved in water.  Along with chlorine, this chloralkali process yields [[hydrogen]] gas and [[sodium hydroxide]], according to the [[chemical equation]]

:2NaCl + 2H<sub>2</sub>O → Cl<sub>2</sub> + H<sub>2</sub> + 2NaOH

Sodium metal is produced commercially through the electrolysis of liquid sodium chloride. This is done in a Down's cell in which sodium chloride is mixed with calcium chloride to lower the melting point below 700 °C. As calcium is more electropositive than sodium, no calcium will be formed at the cathode. This method is less expensive than the previous method of electrolyzing sodium hydroxide.

Sodium chloride is used in other chemical processes for the large-scale production of compounds containing sodium or chlorine. In the Solvay process, sodium chloride is used for producing [[sodium carbonate]] and [[calcium chloride]]. In the Mannheim process and in the Hargreaves process, it is used for the production of [[sodium sulfate]] and [[hydrochloric acid]].

===Biological uses===
Many [[microorganism]]s cannot live in an overly salty environment: water is drawn out of their [[cell (biology)|cells]] by [[osmosis]]. For this reason salt is used to preserve some foods, such as smoked bacon or fish and can also be used to detach leeches that have attached themselves to feed. It has also been used to disinfect wounds. In medieval times salt would be rubbed into household surfaces as a cleansing agent.

==See also==
*[[Edible salt]]
*[[Soap]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Chlorides]]
[[Category:Sodium compounds]]
[[Category:Edible salt]]
[[Category:Metal halides]]
[[Category:Salts]]
[[Category:Antiseptics]]
[[Category:Endocrinology]]
[[Category:Nephrology]]

{{Mineral supplements}}