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Easiest to understand while looking at a Periodic Table. As you know, all gases react to try to become nobles. Magnesium has 12 electrons, and the closest noble gas (neon), which Mg wants to become, has 10 electrons. So in order to be balanced, Mg has to lose 3 electrons (you may initially think it needs to lost 2, but include Mg when you are counting back --> 12,11,10) . When an atom loses electrons, which have a negative charge, it will become positive, as it will have more positive H+ atoms than negative e- atoms. Again, if you look at your periodic table, this is quite simple to figure out :)
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoA neutral magnesium atom has two outer shell valence electrons. Its "goal" is to get a full outer shell, which is eight electrons. It is easier to just lose those two electrons (the next shell will have eight valence electrons) than to gain six electrons. Therefore, when it forms an ion, it gives away those two electrons. There are then two more protons than electrons, and the charge is +2.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoWell...the magnesium atom has a total of 12 electrons in a 'cloud' around its nucleus, which happens to have exactly 12 protons. Each electron has a charge of -1, and each proton a charge of +1. So, the total charge of the electrons (-12) exactly cancels out the total charge of the protons (+12)...and that's why the magnesium atom has a neutral (0) charge! :)
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoIt, like other atoms, has the same number of protons and electrons (positive and negative elements, respectively). In the case of magnesium, it has 12 positive charges (protons) and 12 negative charges (electrons).
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoMagnesium has a positive charge of 2+ once it is an ion.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoAs it loses two electrons in order to complete its octet.
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What is the charge on an atom of magnesium?
The neutral atom of magnesium has no electrical charge; the ion is bivalent.
What charge are neutrons in the magnesium atom?
All neutrons have a negative charge. That is the reason they are called neutrons.
What is the charge of the element magnessium?
Elements have no charge. It is when an atom loses or gains electrons to complete its outer shell that it becomes an ionand has a charge. In Magnesium's case, its ion has a charge of 2+
What is the charge of magnesium when it forms an ion?
Magnesium as an atom has two valance electrons. To complete it's octet, it must lose two electrons. Losing two electrons will make Mg have 12 protons and 10 electrons therefore having a +2 charge.
Is an atom with six electrons more stable than an atom with one?
No. A atom is stable when it has a full valence shell. The way this works is (2,8,8,8...) For an example magnesium which has 12 electrons. Magnesium loses 2 electrons ( so it has 2, 8 and then has a full outer shell) to gain a full outer charge which results in a charge of 2+.
What is the charge on an atom of magnesium?
The neutral atom of magnesium has no electrical charge; the ion is bivalent.
What does the charge on the magnesium ion have to do with the number of valence electrons that an atom of magnesium has?
The charge on a magnesium ion is +2. This indicates that the two valence electrons present in a magnesium atom have been donated to form one or two anions of some other element.
Compared to the atomic radius of a sodium atom the atomic radius of a magnesium atom os smaller the smaller radius is primly a result of the magnesium atom having?
a larger nuclear charge
What charge are neutrons in the magnesium atom?
All neutrons have a negative charge. That is the reason they are called neutrons.
How many electrons does Magnesium need to complete the last shell?
A magnesium atom would need 6 electrons to complete its highest occupied electron shell. In practice, a magnesium atom almost never does this, because the energy required would be too great. Instead, the magnesium atom transfers 2 electrons to one or more atom that are more electronegative than magnesium and thereby forms a magnesium ion with an electrical charge of +2. In this ion, the highest occupied shell of a magnesium atom is completely empty of electrons.
What would the charge on a neutral magnesium atom be?
Well, if it's neutral.... It's kinda a no brainer.
Why magnesium ion has a charge of?
can depend charge depends on what other atom(s) it is bonded to in the molecule. if you were bonding 1 magnesium with 1 chlorine(magnesium chloride) then you would have a +1 charge magnesium ion.the variable is the type of bond and what it is bonded to
What is the charge of the element magnessium?
Elements have no charge. It is when an atom loses or gains electrons to complete its outer shell that it becomes an ionand has a charge. In Magnesium's case, its ion has a charge of 2+
Which atom is most likely to form a cation with a charge of plus 2?
Magnesium (Mg)
When an atom of magnesium forms an ionic bond with an atom of oxygen which will gain electrons?
Magnesium has a charge of 2+ and oxygen 2- Magnesium will lose the two "extra electrons" in its valence shell when creating an ionic bond with oxygen. The oxygen will gain these two electrons.
What is the charge of magnesium when it forms an ion?
Magnesium as an atom has two valance electrons. To complete it's octet, it must lose two electrons. Losing two electrons will make Mg have 12 protons and 10 electrons therefore having a +2 charge.
How can a mg atom bond with an o atom?
Mg or magnesium has 2 electrons in its outer shell. O or oxygen is 2 electrons short of a full shell. The oxygen takes up the magnesium's spare electrons and gets a full outer shell and a charge of 2- (cos of the extra electrons). The magnesium gets a full outer shell cos it lost the spare 2 and gets a charge of 2+ (cos it lost 2 electrons that were balancing out the protons in the nucleus).So, one atom completely donates electrons to another atom. That's ionic bonding.
