Which option identifies a positively charged ion?

Prepare for the NANTeL Chemistry Certification and Engineering Fundamentals Test with multiple choice questions, detailed explanations, and key insights to boost your understanding and confidence. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which option identifies a positively charged ion?

Explanation:
When atoms gain or lose electrons, they become charged particles called ions. If an atom loses electrons, it ends up with more protons than electrons, giving it a positive charge—this is a cation. An ion with a positive charge is therefore called a cation. By contrast, an anion is a negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons, an electron itself carries a negative charge, and a proton is positively charged as a fundamental particle but not an ion itself in typical chemistry contexts. So the term that identifies a positively charged ion is cation.

When atoms gain or lose electrons, they become charged particles called ions. If an atom loses electrons, it ends up with more protons than electrons, giving it a positive charge—this is a cation. An ion with a positive charge is therefore called a cation. By contrast, an anion is a negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons, an electron itself carries a negative charge, and a proton is positively charged as a fundamental particle but not an ion itself in typical chemistry contexts. So the term that identifies a positively charged ion is cation.

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