How do a sodium and positive sodium ion differ?

Answer 1

Sodium, an Alkali Metal from Group 1 of the Periodic Table, is the element with atomic number 11. That means it has 11 protons in its nucleus. A neutral atom of sodium will have 11 electrons around it. There will be a one-to-one correspondence between protons and electrons. An ion of sodium (or any other element) will have an unequal number of protons and electrons in it. That's the difference. Sodium atoms have a single valence electron in their valence shell. When we encounter sodium ions, we find them to have "loaned out" that valence electron, and they have an overall charge of +1 now. We write Na+1 or Na+ to indicate this ion. It makes sense when you look at that notation because the 10 electrons remaining around a sodium atom cannot balance the charge of the 11 protons in the nucleus. It's that simple. Lastly, any atom with an unbalanced (unequal) number of positive and negative charges will have an overall charge, and is considered an ion. Note that sodium is very reactive, and we don't find it free in nature. It is always found in combination with another or other elements in compounds. The most common sodium compound we find is NaCl, which is sodium chloride, or table salt. When you put salt in water, it "comes apart" into sodium and chlorine ions in the water. The sodium atoms will be in there with their 11 protons in the nuclei, and will have 10 electrons about them. The chlorine atoms will have "borrowed" or "stolen" one of the electrons from sodium, and the atoms of chlorine will be wandering around with an extra electron - the one they borrowed from sodium. A link can be found below for more information.

Answer 2

A sodium atom is neutral and has the same number of protons and electrons. A positive sodium ion has lost one electron, resulting in a net positive charge. This difference in charge makes the positive sodium ion more reactive and likely to participate in chemical reactions.

Answer 3

A sodium ion is a sodium atom that has lost or gained an electron, thus changing the net charge of the atom. A positive sodium ion has lost one or more electron(s), with the result being a positive net charge.

Answer 4

A sodium ion differs from a sodium atom because the ion has a different number of electrons and therefore is not electrically neutral. Ions are not stable in isolation from other ions of opposite charge, while isolated atoms are stable, at least in the absence of materials with which metallic sodium will react.

Answer 5

A sodium atom is neutrally charged and highly reactive; pure sodium must be kept under oil to prevent it from reacting in an rather pretty explosively exothermic reaction with atmospheric water.

A sodium ion is positively charged due to the loss of the one valence electron and is never found free. A sodium ion will be associated with a negatively charged ion, either dissociated in a solution or precipitated together as a salt.

Answer 6

A sodium atom contains eleven electrons and has a net neutral electrical charge, because the atom also contains eleven protons. A sodium ion contains only ten electrons and has an electrical charge of +1, because it also contains 11 protons.

Answer 7

A sodium atom contains 11 electrons, is electrically neutral, and has high chemical potential energy. A sodium ion contains 10 electrons, has a positive electrical charge, and has much less chemical potential energy than a sodium atom.

Answer 8

A sodium ion has one less electron than a sodium of atom, and so it has a positive charge. The sodium atom forms ions because the single electron in its outer shell means it is very reactive and can easily rid itself of the single valence electron for a more stable full outer shell. So sodium atom is very reactive, the ion is not so much.

Answer 9

The sodium ion has less electrons than protons whereas the sodium atom has an equal amount of protons and electrons

Answer 10

It has lost one electron.