Final answer:
The correct answer is B. Sodium and potassium lose electrons to become cations (Na+ and K+), and chlorine gains electrons to become the chloride anion (Cl-), forming the ionic compounds NaCl and KCl.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about how the compounds sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) form is B. Sodium and potassium lose electrons and chlorine gains them. Both sodium and potassium are metals with relatively low ionization potentials, which means they tend to lose electrons easily to become positively charged cations (Na+ and K+). Chlorine, on the other hand, is a nonmetal with a high electron affinity and tends to gain the electrons lost by metals, becoming the negatively charged chloride anion (Cl−). The ionic compounds form as a result of these ions combining. In the case of table salt, for example, the sodium atom loses an electron to become Na+, and the chlorine molecule (Cl2) gains an electron to form Cl−. This process is the same for potassium chloride, where potassium loses an electron to form K+.