* It becomes a positively charged ion: Sodium has one electron in its outermost shell. When it loses this electron, it becomes a cation with a +1 charge. This is represented as Na⁺.
* It achieves a stable electron configuration: Sodium, by losing an electron, achieves the same electron configuration as the noble gas Neon. This configuration is very stable because its outermost shell is full, making it less reactive.
* It becomes smaller in size: The loss of an electron reduces the electron-electron repulsion, causing the remaining electrons to be pulled closer to the nucleus, resulting in a smaller ionic radius.
Here's a summary:
Sodium (Na) -> Sodium ion (Na⁺) + 1 electron
This process is called ionization, and it's a fundamental concept in chemistry. It's important for understanding how sodium interacts with other elements to form compounds.
