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Multiple Choice
What type of ion is formed when an atom loses electrons?
A
Radical
B
Anion
C
Isotope
D
Cation
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that ions are charged particles formed when atoms gain or lose electrons.
Recall that when an atom loses electrons, it has more protons than electrons, resulting in a positive charge.
Recognize that a positively charged ion is called a cation.
Contrast this with an anion, which is a negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons.
Note that radicals are species with unpaired electrons, and isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, so neither describes ions formed by electron loss.