how many electrons does Fe3+ gain or lose when the ion forms?
A. gains 1 electron
B. loses 1 electron
C. gain 3 electrons
D. loses 3 electrons
I think D.
D. The 3+ on Fe3+ tells you how the charge differs from its natural state. Because an electron is a negatively charged particle when one electron leaves, the charge is +1 because the ion still has the same amount of protons with one less electron.
How many electrons of magnesium
You are correct. When an Fe3+ ion forms, it loses 3 electrons. Therefore, the correct answer is D.
To determine how many electrons Fe3+ gains or loses when the ion forms, we need to look at the oxidation state of iron (Fe) before and after ionization.
The symbol Fe3+ indicates that the iron atom has a positive charge of +3. Since neutral atoms have an equal number of protons and electrons, the number of electrons in a neutral iron atom (Fe) is equal to its atomic number, which is 26.
When an atom forms a positive ion, it loses electrons. To calculate how many electrons iron loses to form Fe3+, subtract the charge on the ion (+3) from the number of electrons in a neutral iron atom (26). So, 26 - 3 = 23.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. Fe3+ loses 3 electrons when the ion forms.