Final answer:
A Zirconium atom that loses two electrons forms a zirconium ion with a charge of +2, written as Zr²+.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a Zirconium atom loses two electrons in forming an ion, it becomes a positively charged cation. Just like calcium in the given reference, Zirconium (Z = 40) will lose two electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration, resulting in a zirconium ion with a charge of +2. The correct name for this ion is the zirconium ion, and its chemical symbol is Zr²+.
Cations are named by taking the name of the parent element and adding the word 'ion' to it. Therefore, the name of a Zirconium ion would be 'zirconium ion'. Since Zirconium commonly forms a +2 cation, there's no need to include the charge in the name as with transition metals that have more than one common ionic charge.