A. how do you determine the charge of an element? b. why do elements form the charges that they do? (for example, why does sodium
always have a +1 charge?)

Explanation:

A. The charge on an element is determined by the differences between the number of protons and electrons in an atom.

An atom will have no charges if the number of protons and electrons are the same.

Charge  = number of protons  - number of electrons

B. Electrons form the charges they do because with the charge, they become stable like the noble gases.

The desire of every atom is  to have stable electronic configuration like those of the noble gases.

A potassium atom with a configuration 2 8 8 1 will prefer to lose an electron to become an Argon atom making the ion stable.

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