Question

Is salt a pure substance ?

Answer 1

Yes, salt is considered a pure substance. The definition of a pure substance is something that cannot be broken down further without losing the composition of the item. There are two different types of pure substances. One is an element, which is a specific atom with a certain number of protons in its nucleus. Another type of pure substance is a compound, which is two or more elements that cannot be broken down by physical means such as breaking apart.

Salt is made of the element sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). These elements are bonded together by an ionic bond. Once bonded, these once harmful elements make table salt or NaCl. Other examples of pure substances that are compounds are oxygen (O2) and water (H2O).