Questions: An atom is considered an ion when it has an unequal number of which of the following? protons and neutrons electrons and neutrons protons and electrons

Solution Steps

An ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. This means that the number of protons (positively charged) and electrons (negatively charged) are not equal.

The question asks about the particles that need to be unequal for an atom to be considered an ion. The relevant particles in this context are protons and electrons.

• Protons and neutrons: The number of protons and neutrons being unequal does not make an atom an ion; it affects the isotope of the element.
• Electrons and neutrons: The number of electrons and neutrons being unequal is not relevant to the definition of an ion.
• Protons and electrons: An atom becomes an ion when the number of protons and electrons are unequal.

Final Answer