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Multiple Choice
Which type of electrical charge is carried by cations?
A
Variable
B
Negative
C
Positive
D
Neutral
Verified step by step guidance
1
Recall that ions are atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in an electrical charge.
Understand that cations are ions that have lost one or more electrons, which means they have more protons than electrons.
Since protons carry a positive charge and electrons carry a negative charge, losing electrons leaves the ion with a net positive charge.
Therefore, cations always carry a positive electrical charge.
In contrast, anions are ions that have gained electrons and carry a negative charge, while neutral species have equal numbers of protons and electrons.