Question

When an atom loses electrons, the resulting cation is ________, even though the nucleus and protons remain unchanged.

A) Positively charged
B) Negatively charged
C) Neutral
D) Electronegative

Answer 1

The resulting ion when an atom loses electrons is a positively charged cation, as the atom has more protons than electrons after losing the electron(s).

Step-by-step explanation:

When an atom loses electrons, the resulting cation is Positively charged, even though the nucleus and protons remain unchanged. This is because the number of negatively charged electrons becomes less than the number of positively charged protons in the atom's nucleus. For example, a neutral sodium atom can lose one electron to become a positively charged sodium cation (Na+).