= Hydration shell
A <hydration shell> is a <solvation shell> in <water>. The existing <hydration of ions> discussion describes preferential orientations around <cations> and <anions>.
\Image[/hydration-shell-charge-orientation.png]
{title=Qualitative <hydration shells>: opposite orientations of polar <water> <molecules> around a <cation> and an <anion>, with each <ion>'s net <electric charge> retained}
{id=image-hydration-shell-charge-orientation}
{description=Original schematic, not measured molecular positions. Atom spacings and the dashed shell boundary are illustrative. Five selected <water> glyphs in each panel do not assert a <coordination number>. Each <water> <molecule> is neutral despite its <partial atomic charges>.}
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