For an atom to be considered an ion:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An ion is an atom that has gained or lost one or more electrons, making its number of protons unequal to its number of electrons. When protons outnumber electrons, the atom becomes positively charged and is called a cation. When electrons outnumber protons, the atom becomes negatively charged and is called an anion. Therefore, option B is the correct answer as it describes a situation where protons (positively charged) outnumber electrons (negatively charged) in an atom, making it an ion.

For an Atom to Be Considered an Ion