Final answer:
An ion is an atom that has lost or gained 1 or more electrons. When an atom loses electrons, it becomes a positive ion (cation), and when it gains electrons, it becomes a negative ion (anion).
Step-by-step explanation:
An ion is an atom that has lost or gained 1 or more electrons. When an atom gains electrons, it becomes a negative ion (anion), while when it loses electrons, it becomes a positive ion (cation). For example, if a sodium atom loses one electron, it becomes a sodium ion with a positive charge, written as Na+.
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