Cations are:

Cations are:

• A. Negatively charged ions
• B. Neutral particles
• C. Ions with no charge
• D. Positively charged ions

Answer: (D)

Cations are positively charged ions. This occurs when an atom loses one or more electrons, leaving more protons than electrons, so the overall charge becomes positive. For example, sodium can lose an electron to form Na+, and calcium can lose two electrons to form Ca2+. This distinguishes them from anions, which are negatively charged ions formed when atoms gain electrons, and from neutral particles that have equal numbers of protons and electrons and are not ions. An ion, by definition, carries a charge, so a particle with no charge isn’t an ion.

Cations are positively charged ions. This occurs when an atom loses one or more electrons, leaving more protons than electrons, so the overall charge becomes positive. For example, sodium can lose an electron to form Na+, and calcium can lose two electrons to form Ca2+. This distinguishes them from anions, which are negatively charged ions formed when atoms gain electrons, and from neutral particles that have equal numbers of protons and electrons and are not ions. An ion, by definition, carries a charge, so a particle with no charge isn’t an ion.