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an atom becomes a cation when the atom loses electrons during a reaction, and it becomes an anion when the atom gains electrons in a reaction it accepts an additional electron.
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15y ago
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6mo ago

An atom becomes a cation by losing one or more electrons, resulting in a positive charge due to having more protons than electrons. An atom becomes an anion by gaining one or more electrons, leading to a negative charge because there are more electrons than protons.

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13y ago

Atoms become cations when they lose (a) negatively charged electron(s). Once the atoms loses (an) electron(s), it becomes positively charged because it has more positive protons than negative electrons.

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14y ago

An element can become a cation by loosing electrons and an anion by gaining electrons.

For example:-

Na(Sodium) atom has 11 electrons whereas its cation Na+ has 10 electrons.

Cl(chlorine) atom has 17 electrons but its anion Cl- has 18 electrons.

The element will form a cation or anion will be decided by the no. of electrons in its outermost shell.

Metals generally form cations and non-metals generally form anions.

However, some elements like carbon do not form ions at all and form their bonds by sharing electrons.

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14y ago

An atoms become a cation or an anion when electron(s) is/are gained or lost by the atom.

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9y ago

The radius of a cation is smaller than the radius of a neutral atom.
The radius of an anion is bigger than the radius of a neutral atom.

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Q: How does a atom become an cation or an anion?
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Related questions

Is an atom of potassium most likely to become a cation or an anion?

An atom of potassium is most likely to become a cation. Potassium tends to lose one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a positively charged ion.


What happens with the electrons when an atom froms a cation and an anion?

A cation is an atom that has lost one or more electrons. An anion is an atom that has gained one or more electrons.


If a neutral atom gains or loses electrons it acquires a charge and becomes an?

If a neutral atom gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). If it loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation).


What does an atom that has lost or gained an electron become?

Generically an "ion", specifically gained an electron an "anion", lost and electron a "cation".


What is the name given to an atom that has become charged?

An atom that has become charged is called an ion. It can be positively charged (cation) if it has lost electrons, or negatively charged (anion) if it has gained electrons.


What kinds of ions do a sodium atom and a chlorine atom become when a valence electron is tranferred from one to the other?

Sodium becomes a cation and chlorine becomes an anion.


What is a charged atom?

A charged atom is an ion. A positively charged version is a cation and a negatively charged one, an anion.


What is an atom called after an ionic bond?

Ions. And they can also be called anion or cation depending on their charges. An anion is a negative ion, a cation is a positive ion.


Is silver a cation or anion?

Silver is normally not a cation or an anion, it is an element. Once it becomes an ion however, it will become a CATION with a +1 charge (Ag^+).


What is an atom that has given up or gained electrons?

Atoms that have lost or gained one or more electrons are called ions.An atom that has gained and electron is an anion; and atom that has lost an electron is a cation. Gaining an electron means the anion has a negative charge; losing one or more electrons means the atom has a positive charge.


What are atoms called when they become charged positively or negative?

In general, an atom with a charge, either positive or negative, is called an ion.A positively charged atom is called a cation and a negatively charged atom is an anion.


What is an atom with or a negative charge called?

It's an ion. Cation for positive and anion for a negative atom