4. What happens when an atom loses an electron (what is the charge on the ion)? Or how did it get that way?

Question

4. What happens when an atom loses an electron (what is the charge on the ion)? Or how did it get that way?

Answer 1

The ion's charge would be one more, because the electron is negative. For example, Fe 3+ would become Fe 4+. At atom gets that way when it reacts with another element.

Answer 2

When an Atom Loses an electron (Negative (-) particle), it then contains One more proton than electrons and becomes a Positive (+) particle or An 'Ion' and, in this case will have a Positive Charge (+).

It gets this way when it reacts with another atom like Chlorine which gains an electron to become a Negative (-) 'Ion'.

Example:

Sodium, Na, becomes Na(1+) Ion by losing an electron.

Chlorine, Cl, becomes Cl(1-) Ion by gaining an electron.

The 2 Ions will chemically combine to form a Neutral (no charge) compound of Salt, NaCl.