Final answer:
The false statement is that the resulting compound of sodium and chlorine is held together by covalent bonds. In reality, they form an ionic bond, with sodium becoming a cation and chlorine an anion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the example of an ionic bond formation between sodium and chlorine, the false statement is C. The resulting compound is held together by covalent bonds. Instead, sodium loses an electron to become positively charged (a cation), and chlorine gains an electron to become negatively charged (an anion). These ions are held together by the electrical attraction of opposite charges, forming an ionic bond, not a covalent bond.
Natrium (Na) can donate a single electron to Cl (chlorine) atoms, resulting in the formation of Na+ and Cl- ions. The resulting sodium chloride (NaCl) is an ionic compound where the ions are attracted to each other, creating a crystal lattice structure, and is not held together by covalent bonds.