To determine the correct way to represent the ionic compound sodium fluoride, we should first understand the formation of ionic compounds. An ionic compound is formed when there is a transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal, resulting in the formation of ions that attract each other due to opposite charges.
1. Identify the elements and their positions on the periodic table:
- Sodium ([tex]\(Na\)[/tex]) is a metal found in group 1 of the periodic table. It has one electron in its outermost shell.
- Fluorine ([tex]\(F\)[/tex]) is a non-metal found in group 17. It has seven electrons in its outermost shell and needs one more electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.
2. Formation of Ions:
- Sodium ([tex]\(Na\)[/tex]) loses one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a sodium ion ([tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex]). This process can be represented as:
[tex]\[
\text{Na} \rightarrow \text{Na}^+ + e^-
\][/tex]
- Fluorine ([tex]\(F\)[/tex]) gains one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a fluoride ion ([tex]\(F^-\)[/tex]). This process can be represented as:
[tex]\[
\text{F} + e^- \rightarrow \text{F}^-
\][/tex]
3. Combining the Ions:
- The positive sodium ion ([tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex]) and the negative fluoride ion ([tex]\(F^-\)[/tex]) attract each other to form the ionic compound sodium fluoride ([tex]\(NaF\)[/tex]). The formula represents a 1:1 ratio between sodium and fluoride ions since each sodium ion donates one electron and each fluoride ion accepts one electron.
Therefore, the correct representation of the ionic compound sodium fluoride is:
[tex]\[
NaF
\][/tex]
In words, sodium fluoride is formed by the combination of one sodium ion ([tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex]) and one fluoride ion ([tex]\(F^-\)[/tex]).
