The odor of a smelly shower drain can be eliminated by removing debris from the drain. Discarding the odor-causing material in the garbage outside the home ensures the smell does not invade other areas. Boiling water dissolves oils and grease deposited on the sides of the pipe in the drain, which add to the smell.
Luckily for us, Nernst derived an equation that allows us to determine at what point the two forces (chemical and electrical gradients) balance each other - in other words, at what point we have an ionic equilibrium.
This positive to negative attraction is known as an ionic bond and is key in maintaining the chemical structure of salts. One of the most important salts in nature and biological systems is sodium chloride. Let's look at sodium chloride and discuss what makes it such a valuable salt in nature.