The Science of Salt: Sodium Meets Chlorine

Table salt is made when sodium and chlorine atoms bond together.
Sodium is a soft, highly reactive metal on its own.
Chlorine is a poisonous green gas by itself.
When combined, they form stable, edible crystals we call salt.
Sodium donates an electron to chlorine, creating an ionic bond.
Salt crystals build neat cubic shapes thanks to this bonding.
Salt is essential for nerve signals and muscle contractions in the body.
Oceans hold vast amounts of dissolved sodium chloride.
Ancient civilizations valued salt so highly it was once used as currency.
The meeting of sodium and chlorine shows how dangerous atoms can create life’s essentials.