Question

If atoms of a metallic element (such as sodium) react with atoms of a nonmetallic element (such as sulfur), which element loses electrons and which element gains them?

Short answer

In the chemical reaction between the metallic element sodium (Na) and the nonmetallic element sulfur (S), sodium (Na) will lose electrons due to its electropositive nature, while sulfur (S) will gain electrons due to its electronegative nature.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the elements given and their categories.

Sodium (Na) is the metallic element, and Sulfur (S) is the non-metallic element in the problem. Metals are found on the left side of the periodic table, while nonmetals are on the right side.

Analyze the default tendency of metallic elements.

Metals like sodium are electropositive, meaning they have a tendency to lose electrons in order to create a positive charge. In general, metals have fewer valence electrons and relatively low ionization energies, making them more likely to lose their valence electrons during a chemical reaction.

Analyze the default tendency of non-metallic elements.

Nonmetals like sulfur are electronegative, meaning they have a tendency to gain electrons in order to create a negative charge. Nonmetals usually have more valence electrons and high electron affinity, which makes them more stable when they gain extra electrons.

Determine which element loses electrons and which gains them in the given reaction.

Based on the general properties of metallic and nonmetallic elements, we can conclude that in this chemical reaction, sodium (Na) as a metallic element will lose electrons, while sulfur (S) as a nonmetallic element will gain electrons.

Key concepts

Electron Transfer

Understanding electron transfer is the key to grasping ionic bonding. In simple terms, electron transfer refers to the movement of electrons from one atom to another. This is a critical process in forming ionic bonds. When atoms interact, there can be an exchange of electrons between them to achieve more stable electronic configurations.
This exchange usually happens between metals and nonmetals. Metals, which tend to lose electrons, transfer their electrons to nonmetals, which have a tendency to gain electrons.
For example, when sodium, a metal, reacts with sulfur, a nonmetal, electrons will transfer from sodium to sulfur, resulting in the formation of ions. Sodium loses an electron and becomes positively charged, while sulfur gains an electron and becomes negatively charged. This electron transfer leads to the attraction between oppositely charged ions, known as ionic bonding.

Metals and Nonmetals

Metals and nonmetals represent two major classes of elements with distinct properties. Metals are typically located on the left side of the periodic table and have characteristics such as good electrical conductivity, malleability, and a shiny appearance. They tend to lose valence electrons in chemical reactions to form positive ions.
Nonmetals, on the other hand, are found on the right side of the periodic table. They often have higher electronegativity and prefer to gain electrons in reactions. Nonmetals form negative ions by gaining electrons, making them ideal partners for metals in ionic bonding.
This natural tendency for metals to donate electrons and nonmetals to accept them creates the basis for forming stable ionic compounds. This understanding helps in predicting the behavior of elements during reactions.

Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a fundamental concept for understanding chemical bonding and electron transfer. It is defined as the ability of an atom to attract and hold electrons. Electronegativity varies across the periodic table, with nonmetals generally having higher electronegativity compared to metals.
The difference in electronegativity between two reacting elements determines the type of bond they will form. A large difference indicates that one atom will have a strong tendency to attract electrons from the other, leading to ionic bonding.

• Metals, with lower electronegativity, are prone to lose electrons.
• Nonmetals, with higher electronegativity, tend to gain electrons.

Thus, in a reaction like sodium and sulfur, sulfur's higher electronegativity means it will attract and gain electrons from sodium, which has lower electronegativity. This transfer results in the formation of stable ionic compounds, illustrating the pivotal role of electronegativity in chemical reactions.