* Electron Configuration: Sodium (Na) has 11 electrons. Its electron configuration is 2, 8, 1. This means it has one electron in its outermost shell (valence shell).
* Stability: Atoms strive to have a full outer shell of electrons for stability. Sodium can achieve this by losing its single valence electron.
* Ion Formation: When sodium loses its electron, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation) because it now has 11 protons (positive charge) and only 10 electrons (negative charge).
* Charge: The difference between the number of protons and electrons determines the charge of an ion. Since sodium loses one electron, its charge is +1.
In summary: Sodium loses one electron to become more stable, resulting in a +1 charge.
