Question

An ion with one more electron than it has protons has a charge of _______.

Short answer

An ion with one more electron than it has protons has a charge of \(-1\).

Step-by-step solution

Determine the Relationship between Protons, Electrons, and Charge

An ion has a net electric charge due to the lost or gained electrons. The charge of a proton is +1 and the charge of an electron is -1. To calculate the net charge, we simply add up the total charge from the protons and electrons.

Set Up the Equation for the Ion's Charge

Let's denote the number of protons as \(P\) and the number of electrons as \(E\). Since the ion has one more electron than it has protons, we can set up the equation for the ion's charge as follows: Charge = (\(P\) × +1) + (\(E\) × -1) And, given that the ion has one more electron than it has protons, we can write: \(E = P + 1\)

Calculate the Ion's Charge

Now, we can substitute the expression for \(E\) from Step 2 into the equation for the ion's charge: Charge = (\(P\) × +1) + ((\(P + 1\)) × -1) Now, simplify the equation: Charge = \(P\) - (\(P\) + 1) Charge = \(P\) - \(P\) - 1 Charge = -1 So, an ion with one more electron than it has protons has a charge of \(-1\).

Key concepts

Understanding Protons

Protons are one of the building blocks of an atom. They reside in the nucleus at the center of the atom and carry a positive electric charge. Each proton has a charge of \(+1\). Think of protons as tiny charged particles that determine the identity of an element. For example, an atom with 1 proton is hydrogen, while one with 6 protons is carbon.

Protons play a crucial role in the overall charge of an atom or ion. The number of protons in an atom is also called the atomic number, and this number remains unchanged even when atoms gain or lose electrons to form ions. Because of their positive charge, protons help maintain the electrical balance in an atom, counteracting the negative charge of electrons.

• Positive Charge: Each proton has a charge of \(+1\).
• Atomic Identity: The number of protons defines the element.
• Stable within Nucleus: Protons stay in the nucleus, usually not affected by chemical reactions.

Understanding how protons contribute to the overall charge and structure of atoms helps in grasping concepts of ion formation and net charge.

Role of Electrons

Electrons are the negatively charged counterparts to protons in an atom. Each electron carries a charge of \(-1\). They orbit the nucleus of the atom, moving around in regions called electron clouds or orbitals. Unlike protons, electrons can be gained or lost, leading to the formation of ions.

When an atom gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged because the number of negatively charged electrons exceeds the number of positively charged protons. Conversely, losing electrons makes the atom positively charged. This ability to lose or gain electrons is how atoms become ions.

• Negative Charge: Each electron has a charge of \(-1\).
• Gaining Electrons: Results in negative ions called anions.
• Losing Electrons: Results in positive ions called cations.

Electrons are the primary drivers in chemical reactions, especially in forming ionic and covalent bonds. Their dynamics affect the net charge of an atom, turning neutral atoms into charged ions.

Calculating Net Charge

The net charge of an ion is determined by the difference in the number of protons and electrons. Since protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge, the net charge is simply the sum of these charges.

For example, if an atom has 3 protons and 2 electrons, the net charge is \(+3\) (from protons) and \(-2\) (from electrons), resulting in a net charge of \(+1\). In the case of the original exercise, the ion has one more electron than protons. Let's say it has \(P\) protons, then it would have \(P + 1\) electrons. The net charge would be calculated as follows:

• Protons' Contribution: \(P\) \(+1\) charges from protons.
• Electrons' Contribution: \((P + 1)\) \(-1\) charges from electrons.
• Net Charge Calculation: \(P - (P + 1) = -1\)

Thus, understanding the net charge is essential in predicting the behavior of ions in chemical reactions and knowing their interactions with electric fields. It's crucial to always consider both protons and electrons when calculating the charge, as an imbalance leads to unsymmetrical charge distributions.