Question

How do elements sodium and chlorine differ from table salt and how are they the same

Answer 1

Sodium and Chlorine form ionic bonds to CREATE table salts, but they are not table salt itself. Table salt is a compound: while sodium and chlorine are individual elements. Sodium is a metal atom that is also generally unstable alone, reacting violently with water. Chlorine is a poisonous gas, also highly reactive (part of the halogens).