Here's why:
* Sodium's electron configuration: Sodium has 11 electrons, with its outermost shell containing only one electron (its valence electron).
* Losing an electron: When sodium loses this electron, it becomes positively charged because it now has 11 protons (positive charge) and only 10 electrons (negative charge).
* Formation of a cation: This positively charged sodium atom is now called a sodium ion (Na+).
Important note: Losing electrons is a common way for metals to achieve a stable electron configuration like that of noble gases.
