Atoms & Ions
Physics: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 4.1.8
Atoms and Ions
Atoms have no overall electrical charge. When an atom becomes charged by gaining or losing electrons it becomes an ion.
Atoms are neutral
- In an atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.
- Atoms have no overall electrical charge.
Positive ions
- Atoms turn into positive ions if they lose one or more outer electrons.
Negative ions
- Atoms turn into negative ions if they gain one or more electrons.
Test yourself on Atoms & Ions
How does the nucleus of an atom change when it gains electrons?