Final answer:
The loss of an electron from a neutral helium atom results in ionized helium (He+), which is a positively charged ion with two protons and one electron.
Step-by-step explanation:
The loss of an electron from a neutral helium atom results in ionized helium. This is because a helium atom, which originally has two protons and two electrons, loses an electron and becomes a helium ion (He+), still with two protons but now only one electron. The crucial point is that the number of protons in the nucleus, which defines the element, remains unchanged.
For a neutral atom the number of electrons is the same as the number of protons, ensuring the atom has no net charge. When an atom loses or gains electrons, it does not change the type of element it is; however, it becomes an ion with a net positive or negative charge, respectively. In the case of helium, it would specifically become a positively charged ion since it has lost an electron, thus the correct answer is C) ionized helium.