213k views
2 votes
Atoms that have gained or lost electrons are called

molecules
compounds
elements
ions
YEXT QUESTION
O
ASK FOR HELP

User Jparaya
by
3.1k points

2 Answers

7 votes

Answer:

Atoms have the same number of electrons and protons and hence have net 0 charge. When an atom gains or loses an electron, it attains a net charge and becomes an ion. When electrons are lost (or donated), the resulting ion is called cation. When electrons are gained, the resulting ion is called an anion.

User Clamentjohn
by
3.2k points
1 vote

Answer: ions.

Explanation: Atoms are made up of three particles: electrons, neutrons and protons. Protons have positive charge, neutrons have no charge while electrons have negative charge. Normally, atoms have equal number of protons and electrons, thereby making an atom electrically neutral. When an atom looses an electron, it then has more number of protons than electrons thereby becoming positively charged but when an atom gains electron, it has more number of electrons than protons thereby becoming negatively charged. There are two types of ions: positively charged ions called cations and negatively charged ions called anions.

User Andrewkittredge
by
3.6k points