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A cation is an element that loses electrons in order to achieve a pseudo-noble gas electron configuration:

Hence, when a cation loses electrons it has an uneven number of (p+) and (e-). The protons then pull harder on the electrons or (e-) because there is more positive charged subatomic particles than there are negatively charged subatomic particles. The remaining electrons are closer to the nucleus making the cation smaller in size than the original atom.

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12y ago
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9y ago

The size of an anion is larger than the parent atom. The electrons decrease due to the addition of an electron. A cation is smaller than the parent atom. The electrons increase due to the removal of an electron.

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7y ago

In going from neutral to an anion, the atom gains an electron or electrons. In so doing, the atomic size becomes larger.

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Q: How does the size of an atom change when it is converted to an anion and a cation?
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Related questions

Does the atomic number of the electron when the atom get converted into catayon and anayon?

The atomic number of an atom does not change if the atom is converted into an anion or cation. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, and this is not affected by the transfer of electrons that produces ionization of an atom.


What does many atom ion mean?

ion can be produced when atom lose or gain electron when it lose electron it's converted to cation(+) but when gained it's converted to anion(-)


What happens with the electrons when an atom froms a cation and an anion?

A cation is an atom that has lost one or more electrons. An anion is an atom that has gained one or more electrons.


Is an atom of potassium most likely to become a cation or an anion?

A potassium atom will become a cation.


Is tin cation or anion?

Tin itself is a neutral element and therefore neither a cation nor an anion. A single tin atom can form a cation by donating two or four of its electrons to more electronegative atoms. A single tin atom is not electronegative enough to form an anion, but together with oxygen atoms, a tin atom can form a polyatomic anion.


Which atom becomes the anion in calcium chloride?

In CaCl2, Cl- is the anion while Ca2+ is the cation.


What is a charged atom?

A charged atom is an ion. A positively charged version is a cation and a negatively charged one, an anion.


What is an atom called after an ionic bond?

Ions. And they can also be called anion or cation depending on their charges. An anion is a negative ion, a cation is a positive ion.


How does a cation differ from an anion?

A cation is a type of an ion, or a charged atom. An atom is the main module. They have the same number of protons and electrons. An ion has a different number between the two. A cation is just an atom with fewer electrons than protons.


Is tin an anion or a cation?

Tin on its own is a neutral atom but will form cations since it is a metal.


What is an atom with or a negative charge called?

It's an ion. Cation for positive and anion for a negative atom


What is an atom with an electrical charge on it called?

An atom with a charge (either positive or negative) is called an "ion." An ion with a positive charge is called a "cation" and an ion with a negative charge is called an "anion ."