Chemistry - CHEMICAL BONDING Question with Solution | TestHub

Valence Configurations: Sodium (Na, atomic number 11) has an electronic configuration of 2, 8, 1, while chlorine (Cl, atomic number 17) has a configuration of 2, 8, 7.

Electron Transfer: To achieve stability, sodium easily loses its single valence electron to chlorine.

Octet Rule Achievement: This transfer allows sodium to become Na⁺ (2, 8) and chlorine to become Cl⁻ (2, 8, 8).

Final Stability: Both ions now possess a completely filled outer shell containing 8 valence electrons, successfully fulfilling the octet rule.