Here's why:
* Sodium (Na) has one valence electron. When it loses this electron, it forms a +1 cation (Na+) and achieves the electron configuration of neon (Ne), a noble gas.
* Chlorine (Cl) has seven valence electrons. When it gains one electron, it forms a -1 anion (Cl-) and achieves the electron configuration of argon (Ar), a noble gas.
Therefore, when sodium and chlorine react, sodium loses an electron to chlorine, resulting in the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl). Both ions achieve a stable noble gas configuration, making the ionic bond very strong.