Ions and Valence Electrons

Front

What is an ion?

Back

An ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Front

What are valence electrons?

Back

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds with other atoms.

Front

What is the charge of a cation?

Back

A cation is a positively charged ion, formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Front

What is the charge of an anion?

Back

An anion is a negatively charged ion, formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Front

How many valence electrons do alkali metals have?

Back

Alkali metals have 1 valence electron.

Front

How many valence electrons do noble gases have?

Back

Noble gases have 8 valence electrons, except for helium, which has 2.

Front

What happens to the size of an atom when it becomes a cation?

Back

When an atom becomes a cation, it loses electrons and the size of the atom decreases.

Front

What happens to the size of an atom when it becomes an anion?

Back

When an atom becomes an anion, it gains electrons and the size of the atom increases.

Front

What is the octet rule?

Back

The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full outer shell of 8 electrons.

Front

What is the charge of a fluorine ion (F-) after gaining an electron?

Back

The charge of a fluorine ion (F-) is -1.