What is a cation?

What is a cation?

• A. A negatively charged ion
• B. An ion that has gained electrons
• C. A positively charged ion
• D. A neutral atom

Answer: (C)

In chemistry, ions form when atoms gain or lose electrons, creating a net electric charge. A cation is a positively charged ion. This positive charge comes from losing one or more electrons, so there are more protons than electrons in the atom. For example, a sodium atom can lose an electron to become Na+, a cation. Conversely, gaining electrons creates a negatively charged ion (an anion), and a neutral atom has no net charge because its numbers of protons and electrons are equal.

In chemistry, ions form when atoms gain or lose electrons, creating a net electric charge. A cation is a positively charged ion. This positive charge comes from losing one or more electrons, so there are more protons than electrons in the atom. For example, a sodium atom can lose an electron to become Na+, a cation. Conversely, gaining electrons creates a negatively charged ion (an anion), and a neutral atom has no net charge because its numbers of protons and electrons are equal.