Salt crystals are made up of small, charged particles. The water molecules are attracted to the individual salt particles forming the crystal crystal. As water molecules approach the crystal they surround each particle and separate it from the rest of the salt crystal. Individual salt particles now surrounded by water molecules float freely in the water. A salt solution is formed.

The salt is said to be soluble in water, in other words, water can move in and surround each particle thus breaking up the crystal into individual particles.

Sugar is also soluble in water and yes water also disrupts the sugar crystals by surrounding each particle of sugar and causing it to float freely in the solution. We can say that sugar particles are charged in a way as to attract water molecules to them.

Salt dissolves quicker in hot water than in cold water. The reason is that in hot water, water molecules have more energy and travel faster than in cold water. Water molecules have more energy to disrupt the salt crystal and because they move faster create more space between themselves to accommodate solute particles.

A liquid that is used to dissolve another substance is given the general term of solvent, while the substance being dissolved is known as the solute. In this case salt is the solute and water is the solvent.