Which type of ion carries a positive charge?

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Multiple Choice

Which type of ion carries a positive charge?

When an atom loses electrons, there are more positively charged protons than negatively charged electrons, so the overall charge becomes positive. That positively charged ion is called a cation. In contrast, gaining electrons creates an anion with a negative charge, while a neutral atom or molecule has no net charge. Isotopes refer to atoms with different numbers of neutrons and don’t inherently define the charge. So the type that carries a positive charge is the cation.

When an atom loses electrons, there are more positively charged protons than negatively charged electrons, so the overall charge becomes positive. That positively charged ion is called a cation. In contrast, gaining electrons creates an anion with a negative charge, while a neutral atom or molecule has no net charge. Isotopes refer to atoms with different numbers of neutrons and don’t inherently define the charge. So the type that carries a positive charge is the cation.

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