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An ion is an atom or molecule where the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge.

So Fe2+ is an ion because it has a charge of 2+, whereas He does not have a charge. In this example, Fe has lost 2 electrons giving it an overall charge of 2+ since it has more protons than electrons for the neutral state. Therefore, it is an ion, (particularly a cation because it has positive charge. Negative charge is called an anion). He, however, has an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in no net charge. Therefore it is not an ion.

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14y ago

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