What's an Ion?
Tyler DeWitt・2 minutes read
An ion is formed when an atom has an unequal number of protons and electrons, resulting in a positive or negative charge. For instance, sodium can lose an electron to become Na+ while oxygen can gain two electrons to create O2-.
Insights
- Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons, resulting in a charge due to an imbalance in the number of protons and electrons.
- The charges of ions are indicated by symbols such as Na+ for sodium losing an electron to become positively charged and O2- for oxygen gaining two electrons to become negatively charged.
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Recent questions
What is an ion?
An ion is an atom or group of atoms with an electrical charge due to an imbalance of protons and electrons.
What charge do protons carry?
Protons carry a positive charge in atoms.
How does sodium become positively charged?
Sodium becomes positively charged by losing an electron, resulting in Na+.
How does oxygen become negatively charged?
Oxygen becomes negatively charged by gaining two electrons, represented as O2-.
How do protons and electrons balance in atoms?
Protons and electrons balance in atoms to maintain neutrality by carrying opposite charges - positive for protons and negative for electrons.
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