Multiple Choice
Which of the following ions is a cation?
3
views
2. Atoms & Elements
Ions
Struggling with General Chemistry?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
When aluminum forms an ion, how many electrons does it gain or lose?
A
It gains 1 electron
B
It loses 2 electrons
C
It loses 3 electrons
D
It gains 3 electrons
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of aluminum (Al), which is 13. This means a neutral aluminum atom has 13 protons and 13 electrons.
Understand that when aluminum forms an ion, it tends to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to the nearest noble gas, which is neon (Ne) with 10 electrons.
Determine how many electrons aluminum must lose or gain to reach this stable configuration. Since aluminum has 13 electrons and neon has 10, aluminum must lose electrons.
Calculate the number of electrons lost by subtracting the number of electrons in the stable configuration from the original number: 13 - 10 = 3 electrons lost.
Conclude that aluminum forms a +3 ion by losing 3 electrons, which is why the correct answer is that it loses 3 electrons.
Related Videos
Related Practice
