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Multiple Choice
An ion has a net charge of 3+. If this ion has 8 protons, how many electrons does it have?
A
3
B
11
C
8
D
5
Verified step by step guidance
1
Recall that the net charge of an ion is determined by the difference between the number of protons (positively charged) and electrons (negatively charged). The formula for net charge is: $\text{Net charge} = \text{Number of protons} - \text{Number of electrons}$.
Identify the given values: the ion has a net charge of $3+$, which means the net charge is $+3$, and the number of protons is 8.
Set up the equation using the known values: $+3 = 8 - \text{Number of electrons}$.
Rearrange the equation to solve for the number of electrons: $\text{Number of electrons} = 8 - 3$.
Calculate the number of electrons by subtracting the net charge from the number of protons to find the total electrons in the ion.