When a neutral atom loses or gains protons or electrons, it becomes an ion. All ions have either a positive or a negative charge. Do you know what the name is for a positively charged ion, and what the name is for a negatively charged ion? Do you know whether an atom that loses protons and gains electrons is a positively or negatively charged ion?
If all of this seems confusing, or you just want to know more about ions, you can use our specially designed ions flashcards to help you learn. For instance, you may be interested to know that all normal matter is neutral of electric charge, so positively and negatively charged ions exist in groups and cancel each other out. Check out our ions flashcards and you can learn lots of more fascinating facts.