In \(\mathrm{NaCl}\), what are the charges on the ions? Explain your reasoning.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The sodium ions (Na) in sodium chloride (NaCl) have a +1 charge, while the chloride ions (Cl) have a -1 charge. This is determined by their positions in the periodic table and their electron configurations.

Step by step solution

01

Identify Ions

Firstly, recognize that NaCl is composed of two ions, sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl).
02

Identify Charges

Next, it is necessary to identify the charges typically associated with these ions. Sodium (Na), being in the first group of the periodic table, usually forms ions with a +1 charge. On the other hand, Chlorine (Cl), being in the 17th group of the periodic table, commonly forms ions with a -1 charge.
03

Conclusion

In conclusion, in a compound of sodium chloride (NaCl), the sodium ions (Na) carry a charge of +1 and chloride ions (Cl) carry a -1 charge. This is because ions in stable compounds are typically formed by elements from the first group, losing one electron and becoming positively charged, while elements from the 17th group gain an electron, becoming negatively charged.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

a) Determine the core charge and valence shell for \(\mathrm{Na}\) and \(\mathrm{Na}^{+}\). Drawing diagrams may be helpful. b) Based on your answer to part a, from which species will it be easier to remove an electron: Na or \(\mathrm{Na}^{+}\). Explain your reasoning clearly. c) The ions formed in molecules from Group 1 atoms (the alkali metals, such as \(\mathrm{Na}\) ) are almost exclusively \(\mathrm{M}^{+}\) ions rather than \(\mathrm{M}^{2+}\) ions. Explain this result based on your answers to parts a and b.

Consider the ionic compounds \(\mathrm{NaF}\) and \(\mathrm{NaCl}\) : a) In which compound is the Coulombic force of attraction greater? b) \(\mathrm{NaCl}\) has a melting point of \(801{ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). Which of these would you predict is the melting point of \(\mathrm{NaF}: 609^{\circ} \mathrm{C}, 800^{\circ} \mathrm{C}, 993{ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) ? Explain your reasoning.

a) What is the charge on the cation formed from \(\mathrm{Mg}\) ? b) What is the charge on the anion formed from \(\mathrm{O}\) (called the oxide ion)? c) What is the formula for the ionic compound containing magnesium ions and oxide ions?

Consider the ionic compounds \(\mathrm{MgO}\) and \(\mathrm{MgS}\) : a) In which compound is the Coulombic force of attraction greater? b) \(\mathrm{MgO}\) has a melting point of \(2852{ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). Which of these would you predict is the melting point of \(\mathrm{MgS}\) : about \(2000^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), about \(2850^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), about 4000 \({ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) ? Explain your reasoning.

When an ionic bond is formed, what type of atom (in terms of relative electronegativity) is likely to: a) lose one or more electrons? b) gain one or more electrons? Explain your reasoning.

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free