Question

Select the correct answer from each drop-down menu. An atom has 9 electrons and 9 protons at the start. If it loses 2 electrons, the net charge on the atom will be . If the atom instead gains 4 electrons, the net charge will be .

Answer 1

If it loses to electrons the net charge will be +2. If the atom instead gains 4 electrons, the net charge will be -4.

Explanation: When an atom loses electrons( which are negatively charged), it turns into a cation. This means since there is more protons(which are positively charged) than electrons, the charge is positive. The charge is positive and than the number of electrons lost. It is the exact opposite for gaining electrons.