When a sodium atom transfers an electron to a chlorine atom, what type of chemical bond is formed between them, and what is the primary purpose of this bond?

• A. A covalent bond; its purpose is to share electrons equally between the atoms.
• B. An ionic bond; its purpose is to achieve stable electron configurations for both atoms.
• C. A hydrogen bond; its purpose is to connect hydrogen atoms to electronegative atoms.
• D. A metallic bond; its purpose is to allow free movement of electrons among metal atoms.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved: sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Sodium is a metal, and chlorine is a nonmetal.
2. Recall that metals tend to lose electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, while nonmetals tend to gain electrons.
3. When sodium transfers an electron to chlorine, sodium becomes a positively charged ion (cation) and chlorine becomes a negatively charged ion (anion).
4. The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged sodium ion and the negatively charged chloride ion forms an ionic bond.
5. The primary purpose of this ionic bond is to allow both atoms to achieve stable electron configurations, typically resembling the nearest noble gas configuration.