* Neutral sodium atom: A neutral sodium atom has 11 protons (positively charged) and 11 electrons (negatively charged).
* Losing an electron: Sodium readily loses its outermost electron, located in the third energy level. This is because this electron is relatively far from the nucleus and is weakly held.
* Formation of sodium cation: When sodium loses this electron, it now has 11 protons and only 10 electrons. This imbalance in charge results in a net positive charge of +1, creating the sodium cation (Na⁺).
Why does sodium lose an electron?
* Stability: By losing an electron, sodium achieves a stable electron configuration, similar to the noble gas neon (Ne). This configuration has a full outer shell of electrons, which is a highly stable state.
* Electrostatic attraction: The positively charged nucleus in sodium strongly attracts the negatively charged electrons. Removing the outermost electron reduces the electrostatic repulsion between electrons, making the atom more stable.
Important to note: This process of losing an electron is called ionization, and it is common for metals like sodium to achieve stability by forming positive ions.
