What is the charge associated with a sodium ion (Na+) in solution?

A sodium ion (Na+) has a charge of +1 because it results from the loss of one electron from a neutral sodium atom. Sodium, which is an alkali metal found in Group 1 of the periodic table, has one valence electron. When sodium donates this electron, it achieves a more stable electronic configuration, which is similar to that of the noble gases. This loss of the single electron leads to a positive charge because there are now more protons (positive charges) than electrons (negative charges) within the ion. Therefore, the sodium ion is positively charged, specifically with a +1 charge in solution.