Question

What is the difference between an atom and an ion ?

Hint:

The key difference is the charge. Atom = Neutral (Protons = Electrons). Ion = Charged (Protons \(\neq\) Electrons). Remember: Cations are pawsitive (formed by losing electrons), and anions are negative (formed by gaining electrons).

Answer 1

The main difference between an atom and an ion lies in their electrical charge, which is determined by the balance between their protons and electrons. \[\begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline \textbf{Atom} & \textbf{Ion} \\ \hline \text{An atom is the smallest particle of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element.} & \text{An ion is an atom (or molecule) that has gained or lost one or more electrons.} \\ \hline \hline \text{It is electrically neutral. The number of positive protons equals the number of negative electrons.} & \text{It is electrically charged. The number of protons is not equal to the number of electrons.} \\ \hline \hline \text{It may or may not have a complete outer electron shell. Most atoms (except noble gases) are chemically reactive.} & \text{It has a complete (stable) outer electron shell, making it more stable than its parent atom.} \\ \hline \hline \text{Example: A sodium atom (Na) has 11 protons and 11 electrons.} & \text{Example: A sodium ion (Na\(^+\)) is formed when a sodium atom loses one electron. It has 11 protons and 10 electrons, giving it a +1 charge.} \\ \hline \end{array}\]