Sodium and chlorine can engage in a give-and-take relation where sodium donates its outermost electron to chlorine, resulting in the formation of a sodium cation (Na+) and a chloride anion (Cl-). This exchange allows both elements to achieve stable electronic configurations.
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The relationship between sodium and chlorine exemplifies a give-and-take dynamic in chemical bonding. Sodium, a metal, readily donates its lone outer electron to chlorine, a nonmetal. By losing an electron, sodium achieves a stable, noble gas configuration, forming a positively charged sodium cation (Na⁺). Simultaneously, chlorine accepts the donated electron to complete its outer electron shell, forming a negatively charged chloride anion (Cl⁻). The resulting ionic bond between Na⁺ and Cl⁻ leads to the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl), commonly known as table salt. This exchange of electrons demonstrates the complementary nature of these elements, stabilizing each other through charge interaction.