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### Formation of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) - **Step One:** - Sodium has an atomic number of 11, so it contains 11 protons and 11 electrons. - Electrons fill the 1st and 2nd energy levels, with a single electron in the outermost level. - Losing this electron would give the sodium atom a ful...

### Formation of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) - **Step One:** - Sodium has an atomic number of 11, so it contains 11 protons and 11 electrons. - Electrons fill the 1st and 2nd energy levels, with a single electron in the outermost level. - Losing this electron would give the sodium atom a full outermost energy level (the 2nd level) and produce a sodium ion with a charge of +1. - Chlorine has 7 electrons in its outermost energy level, so it needs only 1 electron to achieve stability. - Sodium can provide the extra electron, and in the process, chlorine becomes a chloride ion. - **Step Two:** - Both atoms now have filled outermost energy levels. - The oppositely charged ions stay together because the positively charged sodium ion is attracted to the negatively charged chloride ion. - **Step Three:** - The combination of oppositely charged ions forms the ionic compound sodium chloride. - Large numbers of sodium and chloride ions interact to form highly structured crystals held together by the electrical attraction of oppositely charged ions.

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