Barium can form ions with a +2
charge. Is it a cation or an anion?
cation
anion
neither
Barium ions with a +2 charge are cations.
Barium can form ions with a +2 charge, which means it loses two electrons. When an atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged and is called a cation. Therefore, barium is a cation.
To determine whether barium (Ba) is a cation or an anion, we need to understand the definition of cations and anions. Cations are positively charged ions, meaning they have more protons than electrons. Anions, on the other hand, are negatively charged ions, meaning they have more electrons than protons.
In this case, since barium can form ions with a +2 charge, it means that it loses two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. When an atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged, thus forming cations. Therefore, barium is a cation.