Ace the Chemistry Regents 2025 – Unleash Your Inner Scientist and Conquer the Lab!

Question: 1 / 400

What defines an ion?

An atom with a balanced charge.

An atom or molecule with a net electric charge.

An ion is specifically defined as an atom or molecule that carries a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. When an atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged (a cation), and when it gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged (an anion). This net charge distinguishes ions from neutral atoms or molecules, which have an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in no overall charge.

The other definitions listed do not encapsulate this fundamental aspect of ions. For instance, an atom with a balanced charge is neutral, and having a full outer electron shell relates more to stability and does not imply a charge. An uncharged atom, by definition, does not qualify as an ion. Therefore, the definition highlighting the net electric charge is what accurately characterizes an ion.

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An atom with a full outer electron shell.

An uncharged atom or molecule.

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