Why can water dissolve many ionic compounds?

Water is an effective solvent for many ionic compounds primarily due to the polarity of its molecules.12

Because the water molecule has an angular shape, its oxygen-hydrogen bonds do not cancel out, resulting in a molecule with a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms. This structure allows water to interact with the ions of a solid crystal through a process called hydration.21

When an ionic solid is placed in water, the following occurs:
* The partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms of water are attracted to the anions in the crystal.12
* The partial negative charge on the oxygen atom is attracted to the cations in the crystal.12

These strong water-ion interactions replace the forces holding the solid together, causing the crystal to break apart and dissolve. Essentially, the water molecules surround the individual ions, stabilizing them in an aqueous solution.1