When an ionic solid is added into a solvent, you can see that the ionic solid dissociates into its respective cations and anions. The solvent molecules immediately cluster around the ions. This is known as solvation. When the solvent is water, the solvation process is called hydration. Dissolution and hydration occur simultaneously, and salt is said to be dissolved in water. You can observe that some of the ions dissolved in the solution recrystallize or deposit to form the solid salt. When the rate of dissolution equals the rate of recrystallization (deposition), dynamic equilibrium is reached. Rank from the first step to the last step.

a. hydration of anions
b. dissolution of salt into its cations and anions
c. hydration of cations
d. rate of dissolution is equal to the rate of deposition
e. hydrated cations and anions begin to deposit as a salt