Question

An atom that has gained or lost electrons is called _____.

Answer 1

Answer:

A Cation

Explanation:

When an element loses (or gives in) electrons in a chemical bond, the amount of protons overlaps the amount of electrons and it becomes an electrically positive system called a cation.

Cations may be monoatomic when formed by a single atom or polyatomic when formed by more than one atom.

In addition, the amount of electrons lost (or donated) indicates which type of cation is classified into monovalent (1+ charged), bivalent (2+ charged) or trivalent (3+ charged) cations.

Some examples of cations:

• K⁺¹ (Potassium)
• Zn⁺² (Zinc)
• Al⁺³ (Aluminum)

Answer 2

An atom that has gained or lost electrons is called an ion