How to check ion is positive or negative
Dear Student,
Ions are those atoms which have either extra electrons or they are missing electrons. When you are missing an electron you have a positive charge and When you have an extra electron, you have a negative charge.
For example:
Neutral sodium atoms consist of 11 protons and 11 electrons. Sodium has the electron configuration:
Na=2,8,1
This means that in order to have sodium a more stable electronic configuration, it will have to lose one electron from the outermost shell. When a sodium atom loses it's outermost electron, it becomes positively charged. The symbol for a positively charged sodium ion is Na+.
Chlorine atoms consist of 17 protons and 17 electrons. The electron configuration of chlorine is:
Cl=2,8,7
Since chlorine outermost shell needs one more electron to gain stable electronic configuration.Hence it will gain one electron from any other positively charged atom.Hence chlorine on gaining one electron will become negatively charged. The symbol for a chlorine ion is Cl-.
Magnesium atoms consist of 12 protons and 12 electrons. The electron configuration of magnesium is:
Mg=2,8,2
Since magnesium outermost shell have two electrons and on losing these two electrons it will gain stable electronic configuration.Hence it will lose these two electron to any other negatively charged atom.Hence magnesium on losing two electron will become positively charged. The symbol for a magnesium ion is Mg2+.
Regards
Ions are those atoms which have either extra electrons or they are missing electrons. When you are missing an electron you have a positive charge and When you have an extra electron, you have a negative charge.
For example:
Neutral sodium atoms consist of 11 protons and 11 electrons. Sodium has the electron configuration:
Na=2,8,1
This means that in order to have sodium a more stable electronic configuration, it will have to lose one electron from the outermost shell. When a sodium atom loses it's outermost electron, it becomes positively charged. The symbol for a positively charged sodium ion is Na+.
Chlorine atoms consist of 17 protons and 17 electrons. The electron configuration of chlorine is:
Cl=2,8,7
Since chlorine outermost shell needs one more electron to gain stable electronic configuration.Hence it will gain one electron from any other positively charged atom.Hence chlorine on gaining one electron will become negatively charged. The symbol for a chlorine ion is Cl-.
Magnesium atoms consist of 12 protons and 12 electrons. The electron configuration of magnesium is:
Mg=2,8,2
Since magnesium outermost shell have two electrons and on losing these two electrons it will gain stable electronic configuration.Hence it will lose these two electron to any other negatively charged atom.Hence magnesium on losing two electron will become positively charged. The symbol for a magnesium ion is Mg2+.
Regards