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An ion is an atom with a net electric charge. An ion is formed when an atom either gains or loses a valence electron. Atoms with an unfilled outer shell tend to gain or lose electrons so they can achieve a filled outer shell. Atoms that gain an electron are negative ions, and atoms that lose an electron are positive ions.

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Q: What is an ion and what happens to electrons when ions are formed?
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Related questions

When are ions formed?

Ions are formed when an atom gains or loses electrons. When an atom loses electrons the Ion that is formed has a positive charge.


When is an ion is formed?

An ions is formed when an atom gains or loses electrons.


When is An ion is formed when an atom?

An ions is formed when an atom gains or loses electrons.


An ion is formed when am atom?

An ions is formed when an atom gains or loses electrons.


How are negative and positive ions made?

A negative ion (anion) is formed after gain of electrons in the atom.A positive ion (cation) is formed after loss of electrons from the atom.


How is a cat-ion formed?

cations are positively charged ions formed by loss of electrons from the neutral atoms having 1,2,3 valence electrons


What is the ending for the names of negative ions formed when atoms gain electrons?

anions. Cations are the positive ion formed by shedding an electron.


Atoms whose number of electrons does not equal it's number of protons are what?

In every element the number of protons in an atom is equal to the number of electrons in it. But in the ions there is loss or gain of electrons. But the ions and the atoms are not same . Ions are formed from atoms. In the case of radio active disintegration the number of protons changes . Even after the radio active decay they exist in ionic form. So far as the question is concerned we cannot say that an atom exists in which the number of protons is different from that of electrons.


What are the charged particles formed called?

Negative charge: electrons Positive charge: protons


Why are ions not formed in covalent bonds?

When there are ions there are charges. When you form a covalent bond you do not lose or gain electrons, you just share them therefore there would be no ion (charge).


An ionic bond is formed when electrons are?

An ionic bond is formed between two metal ions, one metal ion and a polyatomic ion, or two polyatomic ions, and the electrons are completely shared. An example is MgSO4 (magnesium sulfate). Magnesium is a 2+ metal and sulfate is a 2- polyatomic ion.


How does a negative ion differ from a positive ion?

Negative ions have an excess of electrons while positive ions have a deficiency of electrons.