An atom becomes an ion when:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An ion is formed when an atom gains or loses one or more electrons, resulting in either a positively charged ion (cation) or a negatively charged ion (anion). Gaining or losing protons would change the element altogether, while gaining or losing neutrons would create isotopes of the same element. Covalent bonding involves sharing of electrons, but does not result in the formation of ions. Hydrogen ions are simply protons and have no role in forming ions from other atoms.

An Atom Becomes an Ion When