Aqueous solution problem?

[questionposter]

So if I have something like NaCl and put it in water, NaCl becomes an aqueous solutio. But in an aqueous solution, the ionic equation for salt is Na+1 and Cl-1 since the ions are surrounded by water molecules. But if the ions aren't actually together and they are surrounded by water, why doesn't salt explode to produce sodium hydroxide if sodium is by itself? Why would a solution also taste salty still? Should't it taste like burning metal and bleach mixed together?

Edited December 8, 2011 by questionposter

[CaptainPanic]

Let's take this one step at a time.

 

So if I have something like NaCl and put it in water, NaCl becomes an aqueous solutio.

a bit pedantic, I admit, but the NaCl and the water together form the aqueous solution.

 

But in an aqueous solution, the ionic equation for salt is Na+1 and Cl-1 since the ions are surrounded by water molecules.

 

But if the ions aren't actually together and they are surrounded by water, why doesn't salt explode to produce sodium hydroxide if sodium is by itself? Why would a solution also taste salty still? Should't it taste like burning metal and bleach mixed together?

Because the sodium which explodes is metallic sodium (not Na+1, but Na (zero)). Once the Na has lost an electron (and becomes Na+1 as a result) it cannot "explode" anymore in contact with water.

 

The two half-reactions are:

[ce]Na -> Na+ + e-[/ce]

[ce]2 H2O + 2e- -> H2 + 2 OH-[/ce]

Put those two together, and you get:

[ce]2 Na + 2 H2O -> H2 + 2 NaOH[/ce]

 

And about the taste? Well, Na (metallic sodium) simply tastes very different than the ion. Just like rust tastes different than iron, and hydrogen and oxygen gas taste different than water.

[md65536]

Should't it taste like burning metal and bleach mixed together?

I remember being told that tastebuds don't work when dry. Does this mean that any time we taste salt, it is in a soluble form? So that if dry salt and dissolved salt tasted different, it is always the dissolved form that we taste (and dry salt, with dried tastebuds, would have a different taste, possibly harsh or metalic? I suppose I could experiment...).

 

I tried dry salt on a dry tongue and didn't taste anything, so I can't answer my own question. I don't know if the way that tastebuds react to salt makes use of some unique properties when dissolved, or if they would react the same whether the chemicals are in crystal form or dissolved.