Multiple Choice
What happens to an atom when it loses an electron and becomes a cation?
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2. Atoms & Elements
Ions
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Which ions are present in solid sodium chloride (NaCl)?
A
Na^+ and Cl^-
B
Na and Cl
C
Na^2+ and Cl^2-
D
Na^- and Cl^+
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that sodium chloride (NaCl) is an ionic compound formed by the transfer of electrons between sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) atoms.
Sodium (Na) is a metal that tends to lose one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a sodium ion with a +1 charge, written as $\mathrm{Na}^{+}$.
Chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal that tends to gain one electron to complete its valence shell, forming a chloride ion with a -1 charge, written as $\mathrm{Cl}^{-}$.
In the solid state, sodium chloride exists as a lattice of these ions, so the ions present are $\mathrm{Na}^{+}$ and $\mathrm{Cl}^{-}$.
Therefore, the correct ions present in solid sodium chloride are $\mathrm{Na}^{+}$ and $\mathrm{Cl}^{-}$, not neutral atoms or ions with other charges.
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