Testing the Crystalline Structure of NaCl_(s) - Cubic or Not?

Introduction

Sodium Chloride (NaCl_(s), also known as salt) is an ionic compound. Ionic compounds form crystal lattices. For NaCl_(s), these crystal lattices are made up of equal ratios of sodium cations and chloride anions.

1. Draw a picture of NaCl salt using the naked eye and then using a magnifying glass and/or a light microscope.
2. Predict what the salt crystals should look like under the SEM, compared to the naked eye or some magnifying technology.

The salt crystal is known from past investigations and from its simple 1:1 (NaCl) theoretical structure as being (face-centered) cubic in nature.