NaCl in Water Softening

SKU: 68791W

Use this Indigo® NaCl molecular model to learn the chemistry of NaCl in water treatment. Understand how sodium chloride regenerates ion exchange resins in water softeners.

Sodium chloride plays a crucial role in water treatment by regenerating ion-exchange resins used in household and industrial water softeners. With an Indigo® NaCl crystal lattice model, students can visualize the structure of sodium chloride and connect it to the ion exchange process. Hard water contains calcium and magnesium ions, which reduce soap efficiency, scale pipes, and damage equipment. Ion-exchange resins trap these hardness ions, but eventually become saturated. Passing a concentrated NaCl brine through the resin displaces the calcium and magnesium, restoring the resin’s capacity and maintaining soft water supply.

Indigo Instruments has maintained a substantial inventory of genuine Cochranes of Oxford (Orbit) parts for 30+ years (scroll down to see "Skeletal (Orbit/Minit) and are compatible with every molecular model kit we have sold since day 1. This level of quality may appear expensive but no parts support from other vendors costs even more.

Details Parts Reviews

Details

Learning Outcomes Using an NaCl Crystal Lattice Model

Learning Outcome	Key Features of NaCl in Water Softening
Understand the role of NaCl in ion-exchange systems	Sodium chloride brine regenerates the resin by displacing calcium (Ca^2?) and magnesium (Mg^2?) ions with sodium (Na^?).
Relate molecular structure to practical applications	Simple cubic NaCl lattice helps visualize how sodium ions are supplied for resin regeneration cycles.
Connect to environmental chemistry	Demonstrates how brine discharge and salt use in softeners link to broader water treatment and ecological concerns.
Bridge classroom learning and real-world processes	Hands-on NaCl molecular model shows how a common salt underpins water treatment technology used worldwide.

One of NaCl's many uses is discussed in: What is Sodium Chloride? Gatorade; Really? The blog also shows different model styles including the very large classroom NaCl molecular model.

You can also build this model as Molymod NaCl or the Indigo^® AtoMag NaCl-chemical vapor deposition.