A crystalline compound, NaCl, found as colorless, cubic crystals that naturally occur in ocean water at concentrations of 2.6% and in the mineral halite. Sodium chloride is widely used for flavoring and preservation of food, for curing hides and skins, in electrochemical reactions and mordanting, in the precipitation of photographic emulsions, and for many other purposes. For any substance resulting from the combination of negative ions from acids and usually metal ions, use "salt (inorganic material)."
