Final answer:
Aluminum (Al) forms a cation with a 3+ charge, denoted as Al³+, and fluorine (F) forms an anion with a 1- charge, denoted as F⁻. Both ions achieve a stable electronic configuration by either losing or gaining electrons to resemble the nearest noble gas.
Step-by-step explanation:
To predict the charge of the most stable ion for a given element, we need to consider its position on the periodic table and its tendency to lose or gain electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration. In the case of aluminum (Al), which has an atomic number of 13, it tends to lose three electrons to achieve the electron configuration of the nearest noble gas, neon. This results in the formation of a cation with a charge of 3+, which is indicated as Al³+.
Fluorine (F), with an atomic number of 9, has seven electrons in its valence shell, and it seeks to gain one more electron to complete its octet, resembling that of neon. Consequently, fluorine will typically gain one electron to form a negatively charged ion, known as an anion, and the resulting ion will have a charge of 1-, represented as F⁻.