Ions by Franz

Ions are when a molecule or atom has either an extra electron or missing electron. In some cases an atom could be missing or could have gained more than one electron. Also this will give the atom a negative or positive charge, if electrons are subtracted the atom becomes positive and if added they will become negative. Positive charged atoms are cations and negative atoms are anions. By adding or subtracting electrons this would only change the mass by a little bit. When writing an atom with an ion it would be written in superscript to the upper right hand corner as shown below.

Atoms become ions usually by radiation bombardment and it only affects the valence shell and this is because the inner electrons are too closely connected to the nucleus.

Characteristics:

●       Attracted to opposite charges like positive to negative.

●       Repelled by like charges.

●       When moving they travel in trajectories and are deflected by a magnetic field.

Common Ions

●       aluminum - Al³⁺ 

●       hydrogen - H⁺

●       bromide -  Br^-

●       fluoride - F^-

Questions

1.      How are ions formed?

2.      If you take an atom and take away two electrons what is its charge?

3.      If an ion is positive what would it be attracted to?