NLN Science Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Guide

Question: 1 / 400

An atom becomes an ion that possesses a negative charge. The atom must have:

gained protons.

lost protons.

lost electrons.

gained electrons.

When an atom becomes an ion with a negative charge, it indicates that the atom has gained electrons. Electrons carry a negative charge, so when an atom acquires additional electrons, the overall charge of the atom shifts to negative.

In contrast, gaining protons would result in a positive charge because protons have a positive charge, while losing protons would decrease the overall positive charge but does not directly contribute to a negative ion. Losing electrons would leave the atom with a net positive charge.

The process of an atom gaining electrons leads to the formation of a negatively charged ion, also known as an anion, which is an essential concept in understanding atomic and ionic behavior in chemical reactions and interactions.

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