Formation and Structure of Sodium Chloride

Sodium ($Na$)

A metal atom that loses an electron during chemical reaction to form a positively charged cation ($Na^+$).

Chlorine ($Cl$)

A non-metal atom that gains an electron during chemical reaction to form a negatively charged anion ($Cl^-$).

Ionic Compound

A neutral compound formed when a metal reacts with a non-metal via electron transfer.

Ionic Lattice

A giant 3-D structure consisting of a continuous, repeating array of alternating positive and negative ions.

Ionic Bond

The strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged adjacent ions in a lattice.

Relative Ionic Size

The $Na^+$ ion is smaller than the $Cl^-$ ion because the sodium atom loses its entire outer electron shell.

Net Charge of $NaCl$

Zero, because there is one $Na^+$ ion for every $Cl^-$ ion, causing the positive and negative charges to cancel out.