Final answer:
The sodium ion attracts negative charges because, after losing one electron, it has a net positive charge due to having more protons than electrons. The electromagnetic force responsible for the attraction of opposite charges is stronger than the repulsion caused by distance between charges within an atom. The nucleus remains intact because the strong nuclear force prevents protons from pushing each other apart.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sodium ion (Na+) is capable of attracting negative charges due to its positive charge. A sodium atom, which has an equal number of protons and electrons, becomes positively charged when it loses one electron. As a result, the sodium atom, which normally has 11 protons and 11 electrons, ends up with a net charge of +1 once it loses an electron because it then has 11 protons but only 10 electrons.
Even though the electrosphere, which is where the electrons are located, is further from the nucleus than the protons, the sodium ion is still able to attract negative charges due to the nature of electromagnetic force. This force, which causes opposite charges to attract, is very strong and acts over distances that are much greater than the size of an atom. Therefore, the distance between the nucleus and the electrosphere does not counterbalance the positive charge of the protons.
The strong nuclear force comes into play within the nucleus to prevent the protons from pushing each other apart due to their like charges. This force is short-range and much stronger than the electromagnetic force repelling the protons, allowing the nucleus to remain intact. It holds protons and neutrons together, overcoming the electromagnetic repulsion between protons.