When a potassium atom becomes an ion, the potassium atom donates one of its electrons, specifically the only electron in its valence shell, to another more electronegative atoms. The original potassium atom then becomes a potassium cation with formula K+.
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Potassium becomes an ion through the loss of one electron, forming a positively charged K+ ion. This process occurs when a potassium atom donates its outer electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.
Potassium has only one outer shell electron which it loses very easily to become positively charged.
When potassium and fluorine bind, potassium will form a positive ion (K+) and fluorine will form a negative ion (F-). Potassium will lose an electron to become a cation with a +1 charge, while fluorine will gain an electron to become an anion with a -1 charge.
An atom of potassium-41 becomes a potassium ion with a plus charge by losing one electron. Potassium-41 has 19 electrons in its neutral state, but when it loses one electron, it becomes a potassium ion (K+) with a plus charge and 18 electrons.
The electronic configuration of potassium, K, is [Ar]4s^1. When potassium loses one electron to become a K+ ion, the electronic configuration changes to that of argon [Ar].
In this scenario, the potassium atom has given up an electron to become a positively charged potassium ion (K+). This ion has formed an ionic bond with the iodine atom, which accepted the electron to become a negatively charged iodide ion (I-). The attraction between the opposite charges of the ions is what holds them together in a stable compound.
An atom of potassium-41 can become a potassium ion with a +1 charge by losing one electron. Potassium usually forms +1 ions because it only needs to lose one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to that of a noble gas.