What is an ion?

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Multiple Choice

What is an ion?

An ion is formed when an atom gains or loses electrons, giving it a net electric charge. Protons in the nucleus are positive, electrons are negative, so when the numbers don’t match, the atom becomes charged. If electrons are lost, the atom becomes positively charged (a cation); if electrons are gained, it becomes negatively charged (an anion). This matches the described idea of “an atom that gains or loses an electron and becomes electrically unbalanced.” Covalently shared molecules are neutral overall, neutral atoms have no net charge, and a neutral subatomic particle with no charge would be a neutron. In radiology and physics, this concept is fundamental because X-ray interactions cause or involve ionization of atoms in tissues.

An ion is formed when an atom gains or loses electrons, giving it a net electric charge. Protons in the nucleus are positive, electrons are negative, so when the numbers don’t match, the atom becomes charged. If electrons are lost, the atom becomes positively charged (a cation); if electrons are gained, it becomes negatively charged (an anion). This matches the described idea of “an atom that gains or loses an electron and becomes electrically unbalanced.” Covalently shared molecules are neutral overall, neutral atoms have no net charge, and a neutral subatomic particle with no charge would be a neutron. In radiology and physics, this concept is fundamental because X-ray interactions cause or involve ionization of atoms in tissues.

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