Question

How many protons and electrons are present in the ion formed by an atom with 35 protons and 36 electrons?

1) 34 protons, 35 electrons
2) 35 protons, 35 electrons
3) 36 protons, 35 electrons
4) 35 protons, 36 electrons

Answer 1

The ion formed by an atom with 35 protons and 36 electrons will have 35 protons and 35 electrons to be electrically neutral, which corresponds to option 2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The atom in question initially has 35 protons and 36 electrons, which means it has one extra electron, giving it a negative charge. The ion formed from such an atom will still have the same number of protons, as the number of protons does not change during ion formation. Therefore, the ion will have 35 protons. Since the atom had one more electron than protons, the ion formed will have one fewer electron than the atom had to neutralize the excess negative charge. Hence, the ion will have 35 electrons to balance the 35 protons and be electrically neutral. The correct answer is therefore option 2) 35 protons, 35 electrons.