an atom that gains for loses electrons has an electrical charge and is called an _____.
ion .. or ionized atom
(There are other kinds of ions)
An atom that gains or loses electrons, and therefore has an electrical charge, is called an ion.
To determine the electrical charge of an ion, you need to know the number of electrons it gains or loses. Here are some steps on how to determine the charge of an ion:
1. Identify the element: Determine the type of atom or element that is gaining or losing electrons.
2. Find the electron configuration: Determine the number of electrons in the neutral or non-ionized atom by referring to the periodic table. The atomic number tells you the number of protons and electrons in an uncharged atom.
3. Determine the number of gained or lost electrons: If an atom loses electrons, its positive charge exceeds the number of electrons. If it gains electrons, its negative charge surpasses the number of protons.
4. Assign the charge: The electrical charge of an ion is represented by a superscript after the chemical symbol. A positive charge is indicated by a plus sign (+), and a negative charge is indicated by a minus sign (-). The absolute value of the charge corresponds to the number of gained or lost electrons.
For example, if an atom of chlorine (Cl) gains one electron (from its usual 17 electrons to 18 electrons), it becomes a negatively charged chloride ion (Cl-) with a charge of -1. On the other hand, if an atom of sodium (Na) loses one electron (from its usual 11 electrons to 10 electrons), it becomes a positively charged sodium ion (Na+) with a charge of +1.