Question

which property of water best explains how salt is able to dissolve easily in water?
water is a polar molecule.
water has a high surface tension.
water is a nonpolar molecule.
water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
water has a high heat capacity and melts the salt.

Explanation:

Salt is an ionic compound. Water is a polar molecule. The oxygen end of water has a partial negative charge and the hydrogen ends have partial positive charges. When salt (e.g., NaCl) is added to water, the positive ions (Na⁺) are attracted to the oxygen (negative - charged part) of water molecules and the negative ions (Cl⁻) are attracted to the hydrogen (positive - charged part) of water molecules. This interaction between the polar water molecules and the ions in salt helps to break the ionic bonds in salt and dissolve it. High surface tension of water is related to the cohesion of water molecules at the surface (e.g., water droplets forming on a surface). Water is not a non - polar molecule. While water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, this fact alone does not explain its ability to dissolve salt. High heat capacity of water is related to its ability to absorb or release a large amount of heat with a small change in temperature, not to dissolving salt.

Answer:

Water is a polar molecule.