Question

How is an ion different from its parent atom

Answer 1

An ion is different from its parent atom because it has a different net charge. Cations are positive ions formed by losing electrons, while anions are negative ions formed by gaining electrons. This difference in charge also affects the size of the ion compared to its parent atom.

Step-by-step explanation:

An ion is different from its parent atom because it has a different net charge. When an atom gains or loses one or more electrons, it becomes an ion. A cation is a positive ion formed by losing electrons, while an anion is a negative ion formed by gaining electrons.

For example, sodium (Na) is a neutral atom with an equal number of protons and electrons. When sodium loses one electron, it becomes a cation with a net positive charge of +1. On the other hand, chlorine (Cl) is a neutral atom that gains one electron to become a chloride anion with a net negative charge of -1.

This difference in charge affects the size of the ion compared to its parent atom. Cations are smaller than their parent atoms because they have lost electrons, leading to a decrease in the repulsions between electrons in the same principal shell. Anions, on the other hand, are larger than their parent atoms because they have gained electrons, resulting in an increase in the effective nuclear charge felt by the remaining electrons.

Answer 2

The ion is electrically charged, while the atom is neutral

Step-by-step explanation:

An atom contains the same number of protons (positive charge +e) and electrons (negative charge -e)

An ion is an atom from which one or more electrons have been added/removed. In particular, we have:

- A positive ion is an atom from which one (or more) electron has been removed. This ion has a positive electrical charge, since we have removed electrons, which have negative charge

- A negative ion is an atom from which one (or more) electron has been added. This ion has a negative electrical charge, since we have add electrons, which have negative charge

So, the main difference between an ion and its parent atom is that the former is electrically charged, while the latter is electrically neutral.