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atoms form ions by transferring which type of atomic particle?

Atoms form ions by transferring electrons.

Quick Scoop

When atoms become ions, they either lose or gain electrons in their outer (valence) shell.

  • Losing electrons gives a positively charged ion called a cation.
  • Gaining electrons gives a negatively charged ion called an anion.

The number of protons in the nucleus does not change during this process, so the atom’s identity stays the same; only its charge changes because the electron count has changed.

Answer for the question “atoms form ions by transferring which type of atomic particle?”: electrons.

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