What are Ions?
An ion is an atom or a molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons, resulting in a
charged particle. Ions are formed when an atom or molecule either loses electrons (becomes
positively charged) or gains electrons (becomes negatively charged).
Ions are essential in many chemical reactions, especially in the formation of salts and
in the conduction of electricity in liquids.
Types of Ions
1. Cations
o A cation is an ion with a positive charge.
o Cations are formed when an atom loses electrons.
o Metals typically form cations.
o Example:
Sodium (Na) loses one electron to become Na⁺.
Calcium (Ca) loses two electrons to become Ca²⁺.
2. Anions
o An anion is an ion with a negative charge.
o Anions are formed when an atom gains electrons.
o Non-metals typically form anions.
o Example:
Chlorine (Cl) gains one electron to become Cl⁻.
Oxygen (O) gains two electrons to become O²⁻.
Formation of Ions
Electron Loss (Cation Formation):
When an atom loses one or more electrons, the number of positively charged protons
exceeds the number of negatively charged electrons, leading to a positive charge.
o Example: A sodium atom (Na) has 11 protons and 11 electrons. If it loses one
electron, it becomes a Na⁺ ion with 11 protons and 10 electrons.
Electron Gain (Anion Formation):
When an atom gains one or more electrons, the number of negatively charged
electrons exceeds the number of positively charged protons, leading to a negative
charge.
o Example: A chlorine atom (Cl) has 17 protons and 17 electrons. If it gains one
electron, it becomes a Cl⁻ ion with 17 protons and 18 electrons.
Important Points About Ions
1. Charge of Ions:
o The charge of an ion is determined by the number of electrons gained or lost
compared to the number of protons in the nucleus.
o If an atom loses electrons, it becomes a cation (positive charge).
o If an atom gains electrons, it becomes an anion (negative charge).
2. Stability of Ions:
o Ions tend to form in such a way that the atom becomes more stable, often by
achieving a full outer electron shell, similar to the nearest noble gas
configuration.
o This is often referred to as the octet rule, where atoms seek to have 8
electrons in their valence shell (except for hydrogen and helium, which aim
for 2).
3. Ionic Bonding:
o Ions of opposite charges (cations and anions) attract each other and form ionic
bonds.
o Example: In sodium chloride (NaCl), Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions are held together by
electrostatic attraction, forming an ionic compound.
Naming Ions
Cations (positively charged ions) are named by using the element's name followed by
the word "ion".
o Example: Na⁺ is named sodium ion, Ca²⁺ is named calcium ion.
Anions (negatively charged ions) are named by taking the root of the element's name
and adding the suffix -ide.
o Example: Cl⁻ is named chloride ion, O²⁻ is named oxide ion.
Examples of Common Ions
Ion Name Symbol Charge Element
Sodium ion Na⁺ +1 Sodium (Na)
Chloride ion Cl⁻ -1 Chlorine (Cl)
Calcium ion Ca²⁺ +2 Calcium (Ca)
Sulfide ion S²⁻ -2 Sulfur (S)
Potassium ion K⁺ +1 Potassium (K)
Oxygen ion O²⁻ -2 Oxygen (O)
Magnesium ion Mg²⁺ +2 Magnesium (Mg)
Nitride ion N³⁻ -3 Nitrogen (N)
Hydroxide ion OH⁻ -1 Oxygen & Hydrogen
Phosphate ion PO₄³⁻ -3 Phosphorus (P)
