Salts are ionic compounds, but what do you know about every day table salt?!
Salt is one of the oldest food seasonings, with saltiness being one of the five basic tastes. However, adding salt to food does not just make it saltier. It also helps molecules in the food to be released into the air – which basically makes the food smell nicer!! Salt can also suppress the bitter taste in some foods and drinks. Some scientists believe it enhances flavour by making molecules smaller, so they bump into each other more easily, and are more likely to stick on your tongue!
Salt has been used and sought after for centuries, including by the ancient Hebrews, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians. Used not only to enhance taste, but also to preserve food, it became one of the world’s main trading commodities. Wars have even been fought over salt, and salt tax in France was one of the causes of the French Revolution!
If you are in Year 9 upwards you need to be able to explain how and why ions are formed. You also need to be able to draw diagrams to show ionic bonding, and predict the formulae of ionic compounds.
To help you with this try Part 1 of our “How to work with Ionic Bonding” revision guide. It recaps what ions are, and which ions you need to remember. Included is how to draw dot and cross diagrams to represent ionic bonding. There are also some example questions and answers for you to check your understanding.
Click on the picture below to see the guide.
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