The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl₂) is as follows:
2Na + Cl₂ → 2NaCl
In this equation, two sodium atoms react with one chlorine molecule to form two molecules of sodium chloride. The coefficient "2" in front of Na and NaCl indicates that two moles of sodium are needed to react with one mole of chlorine.
The type of reaction between sodium and chlorine is a redox reaction or an oxidation-reduction reaction. It involves the transfer of electrons from sodium to chlorine. Sodium loses an electron, undergoing oxidation to form a sodium ion (Na⁺), while chlorine gains an electron, undergoing reduction to form chloride ions (Cl⁻).