Multiple Choice
Which best describes the potassium ion that forms when potassium loses an electron?
2. Atoms & Elements
Ions
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How do atoms become charged, and how do they balance these charges?
A
Atoms become charged by gaining or losing neutrons, and they balance these charges by forming hydrogen bonds.
B
Atoms become charged by gaining or losing electrons, and they balance these charges by forming metallic bonds.
C
Atoms become charged by gaining or losing electrons, and they balance these charges by forming ionic bonds.
D
Atoms become charged by gaining or losing protons, and they balance these charges by forming covalent bonds.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that atoms become charged by gaining or losing electrons, not neutrons or protons. Electrons are negatively charged, and their gain or loss affects the overall charge of the atom.
Recognize that when an atom gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged and is called an anion. Conversely, when it loses electrons, it becomes positively charged and is called a cation.
Identify that charged atoms, or ions, balance their charges by forming ionic bonds. Ionic bonds occur between positively charged cations and negatively charged anions.
Note that ionic bonds are a type of chemical bond where there is a transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of ions that attract each other due to opposite charges.
Remember that other types of bonds, such as covalent and metallic bonds, involve different mechanisms of electron sharing or pooling, and are not primarily about balancing charges through electron transfer.
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