What's an Ion?

Tyler DeWitt6 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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Summary

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Understanding Ions: Charges in Atoms Explained

  • An ion is an atom or group of atoms with an electrical charge, which occurs when the number of protons and electrons in an atom is imbalanced.
  • Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge, usually balancing each other out in atoms to maintain neutrality.
  • Sodium, for example, can lose an electron, resulting in a positive charge, denoted as Na+.
  • Oxygen can gain two electrons, leading to a negative charge, represented as O2-.
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