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Which element is most likely to form a cation?
sodium, silicon, sulfur, argon

1 Answer

4 votes

Answer:

Sodium

Step-by-step explanation:

  • To answer the question we need to know a few things.

What are cations?

  • Cations are positively charged ions that are formed when an atom of an element loses an electron(s).

What elements form cations?

  • Metallic elements form cations since they react by losing electrons thus forming ions with a positive charge.
  • For example, alkali metals such as sodium form cations with a charge of +1.
  • In this case, sodium will form a cation with a charge of + 1, Na⁺

What are negatively charged ions?

  • Negatively charged ions are known as anions.
  • They are formed by non-metallic elements such as sulfur, argon, silicon, etc.
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