Question

What kind of compound is Sodium Chloride or $NaCl$.

• A. Covalent Compound
• B. Electrovalent Compound
• C. Co-ordinate Covalent
• D. None of these

Answer 1

The correct option is B Electrovalent Compound

$NaCl$ is an electrovalent compound. In the compound of Sodium Chloride, Sodium has $11$ electrons, and its electronic configuration can be written as $2,8,1$. Thus $Na$ has one electron in its outermost orbit or we can say that Sodium has one valence electron.
In the compound of Sodium Chloride, Chlorine has $17$ electrons, and its electronic configuration can be written as $2,8,7$. Thus $Cl$ has seven electrons in its outermost orbit or we can say that Chlorine has seven valence electrons.
Sodium wants to give away its one valence electron to complete its octet by attaining the electronic configuration of its nearest inert gas Neon. Chlorine wants to take one more electron in its outermost shell to complete its octet by attaining the electronic configuration of its nearest inert gas Argon. Thus, Sodium gives away its one valence electron to its neighbor atom Chlorine. And both the atoms complete their octet by attaining eight electrons in their outermost orbit. Sodium thus obtains a $+1$ charge and Chlorine obtains a $-1$ charge, and together they form an electrovalent or ionic bond.
Electrovalent compounds are formed by the transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to the other present in the compound. $NaCl$ is formed by the transfer of one electron from Sodium atom to Chlorine atom thus forming an ionic bond or electrovalent bond between the atoms of the compound.
And hence $NaCl$ is an electrovalent compound.