What is the chemical name for NaCl?

The chemical name for NaCl is sodium chloride. This compound is formed by the combination of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) ions, which results in a crystalline structure commonly known as table salt. Sodium chloride is widely used not only in cooking but also in various industrial applications and as a preservative. Each sodium atom donates an electron to a chlorine atom, creating a bond that holds these two elements together in a 1:1 ratio, which is characteristic of ionic compounds like NaCl.

The other choices do not pertain to NaCl. Potassium chloride is represented by the formula KCl and contains potassium instead of sodium. Calcium chloride is a different compound, noted as CaCl2, incorporating calcium ions. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid with entirely different properties and uses, as it consists of hydrogen and chlorine, not sodium. Understanding the distinctions among these compounds is crucial in chemistry and pharmacology.