The following questions refer to Figure 2.3.

-What is the atomic number of the cation formed in the reaction illustrated in Figure 2.3?

Question

The following questions refer to Figure 2.3.

-What is the atomic number of the cation formed in the reaction illustrated in Figure 2.3?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the given reaction, a neutral sodium atom (Na) loses an electron to form a cation (Na+). The atomic number of sodium is 11, which represents the number of protons in its nucleus. When sodium loses one electron, the number of protons remains the same, but the number of electrons decreases by one, resulting in a net positive charge of +1 on the cation.
Therefore, the atomic number of the cation formed in the reaction is still 11. Option D is the correct answer.

The Following Questions Refer to Figure 2.3