A REPRESENTATION OF THE DISSOLVING OF SODIUM MOLECULES IN WATER

Matter, Energy, and Life, Jeffrey J. W. Baker and Garland E. Allen, 1970, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

The negative ends of the polar water molecules are attracted to the positive sodium ions, and pull them off the crystal lattice. The positive ends of the water molecules are attracted to the negative chloride ions, and pull them off. As indicated, each sodium and chloride ion is probably surrounded by at least six water molecules.