Ions

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 a cation?

Back

A cation is a positively charged ion, formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Front

What is an anion?

Back

An anion is a negatively charged ion, formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Front

How does sodium (Na) form a +1 ion?

Back

Sodium has 1 valence electron. It loses this electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, resulting in a +1 charge.

Front

What charge does sulfur (S) have when it forms an ion?

Back

Sulfur has 6 valence electrons and typically gains 2 electrons to achieve a stable configuration, forming a S^(-2) ion.

Front

What is the charge of phosphorus (P) when it forms an ion?

Back

Phosphorus has 5 valence electrons and typically gains 3 electrons to achieve a stable configuration, forming a P^(-3) ion.

Front

What determines the charge of an ion?

Back

The charge of an ion is determined by the difference between the number of protons (positive) and electrons (negative) in an atom.

Front

What is the charge of an atom with 2 protons, 3 neutrons, and 4 electrons?

Back

The charge is -2, as there are more electrons (4) than protons (2).

Front

What is the octet rule?

Back

The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full outer shell of 8 electrons.

Front

What is the significance of valence electrons?

Back

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are involved in chemical bonding and ion formation.