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When an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes an ion.

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When the number of electrons changes the atom becomes what?

When the number of electrons changes, the atom becomes an ion. An atom becomes a positively charged ion (cation) when it loses electrons and a negatively charged ion (anion) when it gains electrons.


How does a natural atom changes when the number of protons neutrons or electrons changes?

If you mean a neutral atom (having no charge), the numbers of protons and neutrons can only change in a nuclear reaction. During a chemical reaction, the number of electrons can increase, resulting in a negatively charged ion, called an anion; or the number of electrons can decrease, resulting in a positively charged ion, called a cation. Whether an atom gains or loses electrons depends on which element it is.


When an atom changes to cation what happens to the number of electrons?

Electron/s are removed from the atom.


In a neutral atom the number of electrons equals the number of what?

The number of electrons should equal the number of protons, otherwise you have an ion.


What is the name of an atom with a different number of protons and electrons?

Changing the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom changes it to another atom (for example hydrogen becomes helium) Changing the numer of electron at the same rate as the increase in protons occurs as the atom becomes another species of atom (see previus case) Changing the number of neurons in the nucleus of the atom while leaving the number of protons constant changes the atom to an isotope of the original atom (same name) Changing the just the number of electrons in the atom while leaving the proton number as is changes the atom to an ion, but it retains essentially the same name (chlorine becomes the chloride ion)


What would happen to atom if the number of protons changes Neutrons Electrons?

If the number of protons changes, the atom becomes an entirely different element. Changing the number of neutrons creates isotopes of the same element, which can have different properties. Changing the number of electrons alters the atom's charge, turning it into an ion.


What is an atom called when you have the same numbers of protons as electrons?

On average, in any atom, you will have the same number of electrons and protons.


What is the number of electrons in an atom called?

the atomic number (this is also the number of protons)


What is the number of protons in the nucleus or the number the electrons in the energy levels called?

The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number and is equal to the number of electrons in a neutral atom.


Is the charge carried by each atom equal to it's atomic number?

No. The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atoms of that element, and that number never changes in any ordinary chemical reactions. Changes in the number of protons can only occur through radioactive decay or other nuclear reactions. An atom develops a charge by gaining or losing electrons, at which point they are called ions. An atom that gains electrons becomes a negatively charged ion, and an atom that loses electrons becomes a positively charged ion.


What indicates the number of an electron in a neutral atom?

The number of an electron in a neutral atom is indicated by the atomic number, which is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is the same as the number of protons.


An atom in which the electrons are not the same number as the protons is called an?

Ion.