Question

If Na was to form a 2 ion, from what orbital subshell would the second electron be lost?

Answer 1

Answer:

2p

Explanation:

Sodium has an atomic number of 11, thus, the neutral atom has 11 electrons. The electron configuration is:

Na: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹

To gain stability, it loses an electron from its outer shell to form the cation Na⁺. Its electron configuration is:

Na⁺: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶

If it were to lose a second electron to form a Na²⁺ cation, the electron should be lost from the 2p orbital subshell and its electron configuration would be:

Na²⁺: 1s² 2s² 2p⁵