When sodium forms an ion, will it form a cation or anion?
To determine whether sodium will form a cation or an anion, we need to consider its position in the periodic table and its electronic configuration.
Sodium is located in Group 1, which is the alkali metal group. Elements in this group have one valence electron, meaning they have one electron in their outermost energy level. Sodium also has an atomic number of 11, indicating that it has 11 electrons in total.
To achieve a stable electron configuration, sodium tends to lose its one valence electron. By losing this electron, sodium achieves a full outer electron shell, resembling the electron configuration of the previous noble gas, neon. When sodium loses an electron, it forms an ion with a positive charge. Since it loses an electron, sodium forms a cation.
So, to answer your question, sodium forms a cation when it forms an ion.