Question

Write the electronic configuration of sodium and chlorine. Show the formation of sodium chloride from sodium and chlorine by the transfer of electrons.

Answer 1

Sodium(Na) - 1S2 2S2 2P6 3S1                                                                                                                                                                                                      Chlorine(Cl) - 1S2 2S2 2P6 3S2 3P5 

Sodium has an extra electron in 3S orbital.So to acheive its octet it loses its extra electron and donates to the Chlorine which wants one more electron to get its stability.So they form Sodium and Chloride ions.

Answer 2

❁ $\sf{ \pink{\Huge{Full \: Process}}}$❁

The electronic configuration of a sodium atom is 2,8,1. It has one electron in excess of the stable electronic configuration of the nearest noble gas i.e., neon, ( 2, 8 ). Therefore, an atom of sodium shows a tendency to give up the electron from its outermost shell, so as to acquire stable electronic configuration of neon.

$\sf{ Na \longrightarrow {Na}^{ + } + {1e}^{ - } }$

Here,

◉ Na - ( 2, 8, 1 ) atom

◉ $\sf{ {Na}^{ + } - (2, \: 8) \: cation}$

However, after giving up one electron, the sodium atom is no more electrically neutral. It has 11 protons in its nucleus but only 10 electrons revolving around it. Therefore, it has a net positive charge of +1. This positively charged atom is called sodium ion and is written as $\sf{ {Na}^{ + } }$ and its electronic configuration resembles that of the noble gas - neon.

The electronic configuration of chlorine is 2,8,7.

It has an electronic configuration with one electron less than that of the nearest noble gas i.e., argon ( 2, 8, 8 ). Therefore, the chlorine atom shows a tendency to acquire an electron to attain octet in its outermost shell.

$\sf{Cl + {1e}^{ - } \longrightarrow {Cl}^{ - }}$

Here,

◉ Cl - ( 2, 8, 7 ) atom

◉ $\sf {Cl}^{ - } - (2, \: 8, \: 8) \: anion$

An atom of chlorine is electrically neutral and it has contains 17 protons in its nucleus and 17 electrons revolving around nucleus. But, after acquiring an electron from the sodium atom, the chlorine atom does not remain electrically neutral. It has one electron more than the number of protons in its nucleus and therefore it has a charge of -1 represented as $\sf {cl}^{ - }$ i.e., chloride ion and its electronic configuration resembles that of the noble gas - argon.

Thus, when an atom of sodium combines with an atom of chlorine, "one" electron is transferred from the sodium atom to the chlorine atom, resulting in the formation of a sodium chloride molecule.

The cation $\sf {Na}^{ + }$ and anion $\sf {Cl}^{ - }$ are attached towards each other due to opposite electrical charges or coulomb force existing between them and form an ionic compound.

Refer the attachment above for orbit structure of electrovalent or ionic bonding in sodium chloride.

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