Ions and 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 happens to an atom when it loses electrons?

Back

It becomes a positively charged ion (cation).

Front

What happens to an atom when it gains electrons?

Back

It becomes a negatively charged ion (anion).

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 atomic number of an element?

Back

The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Front

How do you calculate the mass number of an atom?

Back

The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

Front

What is the significance of noble gases in the periodic table?

Back

Noble gases are stable and unreactive due to having full valence electron shells.

Front

What is the electron configuration of a neutral magnesium atom?

Back

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s².

Front

How many electrons does a neutral atom with atomic number 8 have?

Back

8 electrons.

Front

What is the charge of a magnesium ion with 10 electrons?

Back

The charge is +2, as it has lost 2 electrons.