Table salt is formed when the atoms of sodium and chlorine combine.

Here's why:

* Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter.

* Sodium (Na) is a metal and chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal.

* When they combine, they form an ionic bond, where sodium loses an electron to become positively charged (Na+) and chlorine gains an electron to become negatively charged (Cl-).

* These oppositely charged ions attract each other strongly, creating the compound sodium chloride (NaCl), which is table salt.