[-_-zzzz]

Hey guys,

For the redox reaction between sodium (Na) and chlorine gas (Cl2), why does my textbook say that sodium "atoms" are oxidised. I am confused because naturally occurring sodium does not contain any "atoms" but rather sodium cations within its metallic crystal lattice.

[Borek]

No such thing as "naturally occurring sodium", it is way too active for that.

Would it be different for any other metal? Say, piece of iron?

In a way you are right, we can think about the piece of metal as if it was cations in the sea of electrons. Trick is, it is perfectly neutral, and when you try to remove any of the atoms it comes out as neutral, which exactly as many electrons as it should have. Removing these electrons is a separate process of oxidation.

[Enthalpy]

[... Solid] sodium does not contain any "atoms" but rather sodium cations within its metallic crystal lattice.

And how far are, as a mean value, the valence electrons from the nuclei?