Ions & Isotopes

Front

What is an ion?

Back

An ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front

How do you determine the number of neutrons in an atom?

Back

Subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number.

Front

What happens to an atom when it loses electrons?

Back

It becomes positively charged, forming a cation.

Front

What happens to an atom when it gains electrons?

Back

It becomes negatively charged, forming an anion.

Front

What is the atomic number of an element?

Back

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Front

What is the mass number of an atom?

Back

The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Front

What is the charge of a neutral atom?

Back

A neutral atom has no overall charge, meaning the number of protons equals the number of electrons.

Front

What is the significance of the nucleus in an atom?

Back

The nucleus contains protons and neutrons and is the central part of an atom, holding most of its mass.

Front

What is the electron configuration of an atom?

Back

The electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals.