Question
How does oxygen become an oxide ion? it gains 2 electrons it loses 2 electrons
Answer
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Arlo
Professional · Tutor for 6 years
Answer
Oxygen becomes an oxide ion by gaining 2 electrons.
Explanation
## Step 1:Oxygen becomes an oxide ion by changing its electron configuration. This change can either be through gaining or losing electrons.## Step 2:In the case of oxygen, it has 6 electrons in its outermost shell. To achieve a stable electron configuration (which is usually 8 electrons in the outermost shell), it needs to gain 2 more electrons.## Step 3:Therefore, oxygen becomes an oxide ion by gaining 2 electrons, which gives it a net charge of -2. This is because gaining electrons increases the negative charge of the atom.#