In the electrolysis of sodium chloride (NaCl), chlorine ions (Cl-) undergo oxidation to form diatomic chlorine gas (Cl2). The reaction can be represented as Na+ + Cl- → Na + 1/2 Cl2. Each chlorine atom donates one electron to form a covalent bond with another chlorine atom, resulting in the formation of Cl2, which satisfies the octet rule for both atoms. This process adheres to the law of conservation of mass, as the total number of atoms remains unchanged.
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