What happens to a potassium atom's electrons when it becomes an ion?

Answer 1

The alkali metals in group l of the Periodic Table all have a single electron in the outermost shell. These metals form covalent bonds with for example the halogens, which have 7 electrons in their outer shell.
When the alkali metal halide, such as KCl is dissolved in water, it dissociates into ions. The K atom loses the single electron, and therefore has a positive charge. In turn, the chloride atom gains the electron and becomes the negatively charged chloride ion.

Answer 2

When a potassium atom becomes a cation, its electron is either ejected (i.e. by the photoelectric effect) or transferred to another atom. For the latter case, an example is the formation of potassium chloride. The electron is transferred to the more electronegative chlorine atom.

Answer 3

When a potassium atom becomes an ion, it loses one electron from its outer shell to achieve stability, forming a +1 charged potassium ion (K+). This electron loss gives the ion a full valence shell, similar to the nearest noble gas configuration of argon.

Answer 4

The donated electrons are absorbed by another atom, generally a halide or nonmetal.