What is the chemical formula of ionic compounds formed by the reaction between Na and O?

When sodium (Na) reacts with oxygen (O), they form an ionic compound known as sodium oxide. The chemical formula for sodium oxide is Na₂O.

Here’s how it works:

• Sodium is a metal with one valence electron, which it tends to lose to achieve a stable electron configuration.
• Oxygen is a non-metal with six valence electrons, and it tends to gain two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
• In the reaction, two sodium atoms each lose one electron, and one oxygen atom gains these two electrons.
• This transfer of electrons results in the formation of sodium ions (Na⁺) and oxide ions (O^2-).
• The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged sodium ions and the negatively charged oxide ions leads to the formation of the ionic compound Na₂O.

So, the chemical formula of the ionic compound formed by the reaction between sodium and oxygen is Na₂O.