Match Each Diagram To The Atom Or Ion It Represents

Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of all matter and ions are atoms that have gained or lost electrons. Differentiating between them and matching them to their diagrams can be confusing. Read on to learn how to match each diagram to the atom or ion it represents.

Atoms vs. Ions

Atoms consist of a nucleus, where protons and neutrons are held, and a cloud of electrons surrounding it. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the element. When atoms gain or lose electrons, they become ions, meaning they no longer have a neutral charge. They become either positively or negatively charged.

Matching Diagrams To Atoms Or Ions

Atoms are usually represented by circular diagrams. The nucleus is drawn as a circle within a larger circle, which represents the electron cloud. The positively charged protons and the neutral neutrons are not usually shown in a diagram of an atom.

When diagrams represent ions, they are usually the same circular diagrams but with lines or arrows representing the electrons that were gained or lost. A plus sign is used to represent a positively charged ion (cation) and a minus sign for a negatively charged ion (anion).

For example, here is a diagram of the Lithium atom.

This is the same Lithium atom, but here it is as an ion.

The diagram of the Lithium ion has an arrow pointing away from the nucleus to represent the electron that was lost.

Conclusion

Atoms and ions are the same elements, but they have different charges. Matching the correct diagrams to these elements is essential to understanding their properties. Now that you know how to differentiate between the diagrams of atoms and ions, you can quickly and easily match each diagram to the atom or ion it represents.