Ions

Learning Objectives: After this lesson, you should be able to…

• Define what an ion is and know the difference between cation and anion
• Explain the difference between an atom and an ion
• Determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in ions

Like molecules, ions are another common form in which you will find atoms. Ions have gained or lost electrons. Cations are positively charged because they have lost electrons while anions are negatively charged because they have gained electrons. (Some elements gain and lose electrons more easily than others, and we will look at that concept when we discuss periodic trends.)

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