1. If an atom loses two electrons, what charge will the ion have? 2. If an atom gains three electrons, what charge will the ion have?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the charge that an ion will have after losing or gaining electrons. The questions are about the fundamental relationship between electron gain/loss and the charge that an ion will have. We can solve this by understanding that electrons have a negative charge. Thus losing electrons results in an increasingly positive ion, and gaining electrons results in an increasingly negative charge of the ion.
Answer
1. 2+ charge. 2. 3- charge.
- The ion will have a 2+ charge.
- The ion will have a 3- charge.
Answer for screen readers
- The ion will have a 2+ charge.
- The ion will have a 3- charge.
More Information
An atom that loses electrons becomes positively charged (cation), while an atom that gains electrons becomes negatively charged (anion).
Tips
A common mistake is to mix up positive and negative charges when electrons are gained or lost. Remember, electrons are negative, so losing them makes the ion positive, and gaining them makes the ion negative.
Sources
- How to answer: If two electrons are removed from an atom ... - Quora - quora.com
- 3.1: Ions - Chemistry LibreTexts - chem.libretexts.org
- If an atom loses two electrons, what is its charge? - Socratic - socratic.org
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