Sodium chloride - NaCl. Sodium carbonate - Na₂CO₃. When sodium chloride is dissolved in water, its ions dissociate, meaning that they separate. As the sodium ion is positive and a chloride ion is negative, the aqueous solution is neutral. No hydronium ions (that cause acidic behavior) or hydroxide ions (that cause alkaline behavior) are formed. In case of sodium carbonate, it is basic because it gets hydrolysed to some extent and forms sodium hydroxide which is a strong base and carbonic acid which is a weak acid.