Answer:
A positive ion, also known as a cation, is formed when an atom loses one or more electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. The nucleus contains positively charged particles called protons and neutral particles called neutrons.
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. When an atom loses one or more electrons, the balance between the number of protons and electrons is disrupted. Since there are now more protons than electrons, the atom becomes positively charged and is now a cation.
For example, when a sodium atom (Na) loses one electron, it becomes a sodium cation (Na+). The sodium atom has 11 protons and 11 electrons. When it loses one electron, it now has 11 protons and 10 electrons. Since there is one more proton than an electron, the sodium cation has a charge of +1.