Chlorine (CI) can be found as an ion with a 1 - charge. How does this happen?

Answer:There are 18 electrons and 17 protons, so the chlorine atom has become a charged chlorine ion with a charge of negative one (-1) ... When it does, the sodium atom becomes a sodium ion with a charge of positive one (+1). Chlorine, as mentioned above, desperately wants an electron so it can fill its outer electron level.