Question

An ion has an overall charge of -2. Its the nucleus is made up of 29 protons and 35 neutrons. How many electrons does the atom have?

Answer 1

31 electrons.

Step-by-step explanation:

Atoms initially have a neutral charge. So if this atom were neutral, it would have 29 electrons to balance out with the 29 protons. Protons are never added or removed. Since this atom has a -2 charge, that means it is an anion with 2 additional electrons. 29e- + 2e- = 31e-