1. Determine the charges of the ions:
* Sodium (Na) is in Group 1 of the periodic table, so it forms a +1 ion (Na⁺).
* Fluorine (F) is in Group 17 of the periodic table, so it forms a -1 ion (F⁻).
2. Balance the charges:
* To achieve electrical neutrality, you need one sodium ion (Na⁺) for every one fluoride ion (F⁻).
3. Write the empirical formula:
Since the charges are balanced with a 1:1 ratio, the empirical formula of the ionic compound is NaF.
