* Sodium (Na) has one valence electron, meaning it easily loses that electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.
* Phosphorus (P) has five valence electrons and needs three more to achieve a stable configuration.
Sodium will donate its one valence electron to phosphorus, forming a positively charged sodium ion (Na+) and a negatively charged phosphide ion (P3-). The opposite charges attract each other, creating the ionic bond.
The resulting compound is sodium phosphide (Na3P).
