Question

Based on Tile 3, sodium has a ______ ionization energy, meaning it will:

Select one:
a. High; readily lose electrons
b. Low; readily lose electrons
c. High; readily gain electrons
d. Low; readily gain electrons

Answer 1

Sodium has a low ionization energy and will readily lose its outermost electron to form a positive cation with a net +1 charge, satisfying the octet rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on Tile 3, sodium has a low ionization energy, meaning it will readily lose electrons. The correct answer is option b: Low; readily lose electrons. Sodium, being a metal, tends to form cations by losing its outermost electron. This process requires less energy than gaining seven more electrons to fill the outer shell.

After losing an electron, a sodium atom has 11 protons (positive charges) and only 10 electrons (negative charges), giving it a net charge of +1, becoming a sodium cation. In chemical reactions, such as with chlorine, sodium readily donates its one valence electron, resulting in the formation of a sodium cation (Na+), which achieves the octet rule with a complete outermost shell.