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It depends on the charge on the atom at the start before it gains an electron. The electron has a charge of -1, and will make an atom more negative or less positive (both of which are the same thing). Let's look at the possibilities. If an atom is neutral (zero net charge) and gains an electron, it has a net charge of -1. If an atom is at +1 and gains an electron, it has a net charge of zero. If an atom has any positive charge, p, above +1, it has a net charge of p - 1. (A +5 would become a +4, and a +3 would become a +2.) If an atom has any negative charge, n, then its net charge becomes n - 1. (A -4 would become a -5, and a -2 would become a -3.)

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16y ago
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13y ago

If an element loses an electron it will be more positive after. An electron is negative...so if it loses it...the atom is a little less negative. Thus the charge will be one more than before. If it was 2 before..it will be 3 after an electron leave.

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11y ago

A neutral atom that loses an electron will have a net positive charge (of +1), and is said to have become a positive ion. (Electrons have a negative charge.)

It will become a +1 Ion.

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13y ago

The charge on an electron is -1. If one electron is added to an electrically neutral atom, the overall charge of the resulting ion will be -1.

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16y ago

Electrons carry a negative charge, so an atom which gains electrons gains a negative charge and becomes an ion. Negative ions are called anions. See: http://www.purchon.com/chemistry/ions.htm

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12y ago

I'm pretty sure it is a negative charge. you might want to double check though.

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11y ago

The charge would be negative, as the amount of electrons would then be bigger than the amount of protons.

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10y ago

negative

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13y ago

-1 charge

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7y ago

Positive

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Q: What is the charge of an element if it loses an electron?
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Related questions

If an atom loses an electron 'negative charge' it becomes?

If it loses an electron (negative charge) it becomes positive.


When an element loses an electron what happens to the charge of the element?

When "x" valence electrons are lost the charge is +x When "x" valence electrons are gained the charge is -x for example, if chlorine gained one electron, the charge would be Cl 1- or, if magnesium lost two electrons, the charge would be Mg 2+


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An electron has a charge of -1. When a Sodium (Na) atom loses one electron, it loses a negative and becomes a stable Sodium ion with a charge of +1.


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When an atom loses an electron it becomes a positively charged ion.


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