Sodium chloride is formed when the metal sodium bonds to the nonmetal chlorine. The atoms are held together by a(n) ___.

PLEASE HELP I DON'T GET IT! :"(

Ionic bond

Na+ + Cl- ----> NaCl
this is also known as table salt :)

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One way the modern atomic model differs from Thomson atomic model is that electrons are no longer scattered throughout an atoms positive matter like chocolate chips on cookie dough. Instead each election is outside of the nucleus occupying a specific?

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When sodium bonds with chlorine, the atoms are held together by a special type of bond called an ionic bond. An ionic bond is formed between a metal and a nonmetal. In this case, sodium, which is a metal, donates one electron to chlorine, which is a nonmetal.

To understand how this happens, it helps to know that the electrons in an atom are arranged in energy levels or electron shells. The first energy level can hold up to 2 electrons, while the second and third energy levels can hold up to 8 electrons. In the case of sodium, it has one electron in its third energy level, while chlorine has seven electrons in its third energy level.

When sodium donates one electron to chlorine, both atoms achieve a stable electron configuration. Sodium gives up its extra electron, leaving behind a stable electron configuration of the previous energy level (with only two electrons in the outermost energy level), while chlorine gains an electron, completing its third energy level (also known as the octet rule) and achieving a stable electron configuration.

The resulting sodium ion (Na+) and chloride ion (Cl-) are attracted to each other due to their opposite charges (ionic attraction). This attraction is what holds the ions together in a crystal lattice structure, which forms solid sodium chloride (NaCl).

So in summary, the atoms in sodium chloride are held together by ionic bonds, which result from the transfer of electrons from the metal sodium to the nonmetal chlorine.