Final answer:
The reaction 2Na(s) + Cl₂(g) → 2NaCl(s) is a combination reaction where sodium and chlorine gas combine to form sodium chloride. It is not a single-replacement reaction as no element is being displaced in a compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction represented by the equation 2Na(s) + Cl₂(g) → 2NaCl(s) is a type of chemical reaction known as a combination reaction, sometimes referred to as a synthesis reaction. This is because it involves two or more reactants, in this case elemental sodium and chlorine gas, combining to form a single product, which is sodium chloride. It's important to note that chlorine exists as a diatomic molecule, Cl₂, which is one of the seven elements that naturally occur as diatomic molecules. The balanced equation shows that two moles of sodium react with one mole of chlorine gas to produce two moles of sodium chloride, ensuring the conservation of atoms.
A single-replacement reaction is different as it involves an element displacing another element in a compound, which is not what we see in this equation. Examples of single-replacement reactions might include a metal replacing another metal in a solution or halogens exchanging places. However, the given reaction simply combines two elements without any displacement occurring.