This is the hardest property to explain, especially for ionic compounds. The strength of the ionic bond suggests that ionic compounds should not dissolve at all. However, we know that salt (sodium chloride) dissolves in water. Why?
Water is a polar solvent. One side (pole) of water has a small positive charge. The other pole has a slight negative charge. The negative pole of multiple water molecules can be attracted to a cation, so surrounding it. The pull they have on the cation overcomes the ionic bond, so the cation dissolves.
At the same time, the same thing would happen with the positive pole of other water molecules being attracted to (and surrounding) an anion, so dissolving the anion.
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