Sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, is in a solid state at room temperature. It forms a crystalline structure, which is why it appears as small, cube-shaped crystals. This solid state is due to the strong ionic bonds between the sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl–) ions.
When sodium chloride is dissolved in water, it dissociates into its individual ions, Na+ and Cl–, and exists in a liquid state as part of the solution. However, in its pure form, sodium chloride remains solid under standard conditions.