An atom loses electrons to form what?
Answer:
An atom loses an electron to form \(\text { a cation. }\)
Explanation:
An atom loses electrons to form a cation, that is a positively charged ion (and one that is attracted towards the negatively charged terminal, the \(\text { cathode). }\)
Both charge and mass have been conserved. We had to put energy into the equation because the separation of unlike electric charges undoubtedly consumes energy.
Chemists measure this so-called ionization energy in the gas phase, and thus probe electronic, and atomic structure. The ionization energy is known to increase across a \(\text { Period }\) of the Periodic Table (as we look at the Table from left to right), and DECREASE down a \(\text { Group. }\)