Question
Name the particle that an atom can lose or gain in order to form a charged ion.
Answer
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Finley
Master · Tutor for 5 years
Answer
The particle that an atom can lose or gain in order to form a charged ion is an electron.
Explanation
An atom can lose or gain electrons to form a charged ion. When an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes positively charged and is called a cation. On the other hand, when an atom gains one or more electrons, it becomes negatively charged and is referred to as an anion. This process of losing or gaining electrons is known as ionization. The resulting ion, with its net electrical charge, can then participate in electrostatic interactions with other ions and molecules.