What is Ion: Definition and 404 Discussions

An ion () is a particle, atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.
The charge of the electron is considered negative by convention. The negative charge of an ion is equal and opposite to charged proton(s) considered positive by convention. The net charge of an ion is non-zero due to its total number of electrons being unequal to its total number of protons.
A cation is a positively charged ion with fewer electrons than protons while an anion is negatively charged with more electrons than protons. Because of their opposite electric charges, cations and anions attract each other and readily form ionic compounds.
Ions consisting of only a single atom are termed atomic or monatomic ions, while two or more atoms form molecular ions or polyatomic ions. In the case of physical ionization in a fluid (gas or liquid), "ion pairs" are created by spontaneous molecule collisions, where each generated pair consists of a free electron and a positive ion. Ions are also created by chemical interactions, such as the dissolution of a salt in liquids, or by other means, such as passing a direct current through a conducting solution, dissolving an anode via ionization.

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  1. C

    Ion craft using magnetic field instead of E-field

    Hello folks, I did some research and I know a charged particle in a coil magnetic field travels along the lines of the coil. My thoughts are having a vertical cylinder and having charged ions flow down. 1. How can I figure out how much velocity the charged ions would have. 2. Would it...
  2. J

    What is the common ion effect?

    Homework Statement What is the common ion effect? I've been searching online for quite a while but none of the answers already out there seems to clear things up for me... Homework Equations N/A The Attempt at a Solution N/A
  3. J

    What is the net charge on a magnesium ion after losing two electrons?

    Homework Statement Calculate the net charge on a magnesium ion which has lost two electrons. 2. The attempt at a solution I put 2+ as my answer and this is what I was told, but I don't understand what they mean by the following; That's a chemist's shorthand, not the amount of charge on the...
  4. A

    What to study for ion propulsion?

    What all branches/sub-branches of physics and mathematics are required to atleast understand the technicalities of ion propulsion ? Please elaborate .
  5. J

    Calculating Ion Pairs, Total Charge and Exposure.

    Hello, I am unsure whether this is in the right place, I do think this is nuclear physics however, I was hoping I could get some idea of whether I am answering this question correctly as unfortunately I won't be able to attend the class that explaining this concept. 34eV of energy, are lost...
  6. Asmaa Mohammad

    Rhythmicity of the heart and potassium ion

    Hello, I read that the rhythmicity of the heart increases due to decreasing in the permeability of SA node to K ions. I don't understand this mechanism, could anyone give me a simple explanation? Thanks!
  7. Physics345

    What are the Electron Dot Diagrams and Polarities of IO3- and CHCl3?

    Homework Statement For the ion IO3 – a) Draw the electron dot diagram and structural formula using the method as taught in this course. b) Predict the shape. c) Predict whether it is polar or non-polar, justify your prediction. Indicate the positive and negative poles. For the ion CHCl3...
  8. sophiecentaur

    Confusion about ion exchange water softener

    I am about to have a water softener installed and I thought I should learn a bit about the Chemistry involved. There is loads of advertising blurb on the Web but very little precise Chemistry. I am sure someone here can help me with this. The basic softening process is fair enough with sodium...
  9. I

    How to calculate formal charge in Nitrite Ion?

    1. The problem statement, all variables, and given/known data How to calculate formal charge in Nitrite Ion Homework Equations How to calculate formal charge in Nitrite Ion The Attempt at a Solution I have counted the total violence electrons 5 + 6 (2) + 1 = 18
  10. G

    I Ion Conductors: Comparing Resistance to Copper at Room Temperature

    I am interested can you please point out, are there any ion conductors (electrolytes i assume they are called) that are comparable in their resistance to copper at room temperature? I am thinking about both liquid or solid conductors here. Also I was wondering is it possible to make continuity...
  11. Oskar Paulsson

    Show that the helium ion is bound

    Homework Statement "Use the simple MO method to show that the He2+ ion is bound"Homework Equations The hamiltonian for this system is; H=-(ħ2/2m)∇2 -2ke2[∑3i=11/riB+∑3i=11/riB-2/RAB] And as far as I know, the total wave function sould be; ψ = φ1φ2φ3 ... φn , n is the number of electrons and...
  12. N

    Finding the Charge on an Ion in a Zero Electric Field

    Homework Statement A proton is at the origin and an ion is at x1 = 6 nm If the electric field is zero at x2 = -3 nm , what is the charge on the ion? Homework Equations for ion The Attempt at a Solution https://imgur.com/ryyuQBq I just have used all my attempts besides one. So I...
  13. yrjosmiel

    Why don't ion thrusters work within the atmosphere?

    So I was reading about ion propulsion when I read this: I understand the fact that drag will be too powerful for the ion thruster to overcome. However, why does it matter when there are foreign ions? Does the magnetic field of the grids pull ions from the atmosphere, thus pulling the entire...
  14. G

    How long for a potassium atom to become an ion again

    If we do electrolysis, using a potassium electrolyte in water, the Na+ ions turn into Na atoms at the cathode. The question is, how long, on average, will it take for the Na atom to react with water and form a Na+ ion again?
  15. C

    B Why Negative Hydrogen/Deuterium Ion Generators?

    Auto-Search gives me some hints. I did a Google for "Hydrogen Ion Generator" and got a load of hits about "Negative Hydrogen Ion Generators". They almost seem to be 'fusion specific'. Are they used because the required end result is a neutral beam of Hydrogen/Deuterium for injection into the...
  16. Cocoleia

    I Rectangular wave, extraction of ions from a stopping cell

    Hello. I'm not sure if this question is to project-specific, but I will try to explain as best that I can. I am working with a system such as this one, with only a few differences: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X1400706X it is a cryogenic stopping cell. The part I am...
  17. L

    B Can radiation in space be captured and used in an Ion drive?

    Since NASA is currently under way with the deep space Ion drive, they plan on using xenon to power this propulsion system. My question is could they harness the already existing radioactive particles in space to power it? If they could then there would be almost an unlimited supply of fuel for...
  18. Antonija

    Binding energy of hydrogen ion

    Homework Statement The negative H− ion is a two-electron system like the He atom. How large is the binding energy of the second electron?Homework Equations For hydrogen-like atoms we can use hydrogen wavefunctions so I did it here. First there is potential to be found and then, multipled...
  19. Ken H

    Energy imparted to an ion by a magnetic field

    Basically my question is: if an anion is placed by the negative poll of a magnet will it push on the particle?
  20. mishima

    Polyolefin Ion Membranes in Electrochemical Cells

    Hi, I was wondering if any old polyolefin membrane would work as a separator in an electrochemical cell, or if there is only a special "porous" version. For example, would a grocery store sack (polyethylene) work. It is my understanding that polymers of this sort are naturally porous...
  21. Akmalidin

    Powerbank for Bicycle: Charging a Li Ion Battery with Varying Current

    Hello, I made powerbank for my bicycle to charge my phone while I ride it. I am using one 4400 mah Li Ion battery. I was wandering If it is possible to charge the battery with less than 1 amp and not constant current? Because, generator I have on my bike produces 3W and it varies as I change...
  22. moenste

    Speed, force, magnetic flux of an ion?

    Homework Statement The diagram shows a mass spectrometer used for measuring the masses of isotopes. It consists of an ion generator and accelerator, a velocity selector and an ion separator, all in a vacuum. In one experiment, tin ions, each of which carries a charge of +1.6 * 10-19 C, are...
  23. Ekramul Towsif

    Formation of tetra ammine copper(ii) ion

    Homework Statement I do not understand how in tetra amin copper(2) ion there happens the sp2d hybridization.I understand that the dsp2 hybridization seems unreasonable .But if the the electron of copper ion really needs to be in the last D orbital ,then why there can't happen sp3...
  24. Vitani11

    How do you modify the Bohr model equation for Li++?

    Homework Statement Consider an electron in the n = 4 level of Li ++. According to the Bohr model, what is the radius of the orbit of the electron? Homework Equations r = .0529 nm r(n) = (.0529 nm) x (n2) The Attempt at a Solution I thought this was pretty obvious? We want to know the radius...
  25. ReidMerrill

    Maximizing Precipitation Efficiency: Balancing Common Ions in Ksp Equations

    Homework Statement Is it possible to precipitate 99.0% of 0.010 M Ce3+ by adding oxalate (C2O42-) without precipitating 0.010 M Ca2+ CaC2O4 Ksp = 1.3 x 10-8 Ce2(C2O4)3 Ksp = 5.9 x 10-30 Homework Equations 1.3x10-8 = [0.01M][C2O4-] 5.9x10-30=[0.01M]2[C2O4]3 The Attempt at a Solution All I've...
  26. Karan Punjabi

    Hybridisation of Chromate Ion Explained

    Can some one explain the structure of chromate ion on the basis of hybridisation cause I'm a bit confused I googled about it and there are posts like explaining it as sp3 hybridised ion. Explain please.
  27. B

    I Helium Ion collision with diamond wafer

    If a Helium ion He+ collides with a diamond wafer surface, an insulator, does the Helium ion, at 25 deg C, will the ion lose it's charge by gaining an electron from the insulative surface or does the ion have an elastic collision with no net energy loss or gain?
  28. Borrah Campbell

    Build a Low-Voltage Negative Ion Generator w/ AA Batteries

    Howdy! How do I build a small low-voltage ion generator? The simplest possible design; we'er talking AA batteries here with step-by-step instructions... Any links or advice would be graciously accepted / appreciated. Here is a youtube video of the thing I want in case I'm not describing it...
  29. T

    What is the concentration of ions from Ksp?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I am not too confident with my knowledge of Ksp so just checking my answer. Ksp = [Hg2+][S2-] Therefore root Ksp to get [Hg2+] = 1.2649*10-26. So answer is B. Is this right? Cheers!
  30. T

    Which Option Should I Choose for the Complex Ion Based on the Given Information?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution There is 0.2 mol of Cl- ions so therefore this leaves us with a 1:1 ratio for the chloride ion to chromium ion in the complex ion. This leaves us with option B or D. However, I am not sure how to choose between them. Can someone...
  31. A

    I How Is the Ion Lattice Approximation Justified in Electron Dynamics?

    To solve the full many-body electron problem one often uses the approximation that the dynamics of the electron system, is that of N interacting electrons living in a periodic lattice of positive ion cores. What justifies this approximation and does it have a particular name?
  32. I

    B Does ionization change velocity of ion?

    If I add 1402kJ of energy to 1 mol of Nitrogen I will ionize it, as I understand it. So when I ionize it, will it actually change the velocity of the ionized atom? What about the overall temperature of the gas?
  33. N

    Atom charge after ionizing (nuclei/particle) radiation

    Homework Statement When an instable atom emits alpha or beta particles. Doesn't the overal electrical charge of the remaining atom change? For example when an atom emits alpha decay, a helium core is emitted, this results in the lose of two protons (forthe radiating atom). But doens't this mean...
  34. RoboNerd

    Dissociation vs Solubility: Are They Interchangeable Terms?

    Homework Statement Hello all! Say I have an ion XY. I dissolve it in a solution. What is the difference between its dissociation or solubility, or are they the same? Seems my ap chem review book is using these two terms interchangeably and I am just plain confused. Thanks Homework Equations...
  35. N

    I Determining Ion Speed in a Farnsworth Fusion Ion Collider

    I'm looking to figure out how fast ions are traveling in the fusor I have access to. The chamber is roughly 12-14" long, with a central electrode charged to 75 kV and 5 mA. Is the type of ion relevant? What would I have to do to figure out how fast the ions are moving?
  36. S

    Impurity ion energy levels in solid-state lasers

    Homework Statement I'm reading some text on solid-state lasers and a passage that struck me was this: "The low-lying energy levels of the ion are determined by the forces acting on and between the electrons in unfilled shells. (The electrons in unfilled shells can be regarded as inert.)" If...
  37. J

    I Transition rules for a trapped ion

    Hi, I am studying the dynamics of a trapped ion in a laser and am trying to simulate the dynamics via a quantum jump, in order to do this I need to know the allowed transitions that the ion external and internal degrees of freedom can take, being the number state (n) of the approximated harmonic...
  38. Q_Goest

    Ion channels enable electrical communication in bacteria

    Here’s an interesting bit of research regarding how bacteria communicate through ion channels. It talks about biofilms which I understand as being thin films of bacteria that colonize the surface of teeth for example: The bacteria then communicate using what sounds like a 2 dimensional EM wave...
  39. F

    Superconductor structure and contents

    Hi. What are superconductor ions? Are they naturally occurring ions inside the lattice structure of a superconductor when it's manufactured or are they ions introduced artificially to a superconductor's lattice ? And do the ions have spin?
  40. P

    Can a 12V DC Source Efficiently Charge a 16.9V Lithium Ion Battery Pack?

    Hi, I have built a large, lithium ion battery bank, so that I may power some of my projects from battery. The bank is 10,000 milliamp hours at 16.9 volts, and was wondering the following. Can I charge my 16.9 volt battery pack with a 12 volt dc source? would It decrease the efficiency? Would...
  41. F

    Can Sodium Ions in the Brain Be Excited with Electromagnetic Radiation?

    Is it possible to excite the sodium ion in the brain with photon from electromagnetic radiation to create a yellow glow like the sodium-vapor lamp here? Please bear with me, I'm bad with Chemistry
  42. 1

    Which species of Fe are considered dissolved Fe?

    Homework Statement The question tells me that all dissolved iron species will have an activity of 0.1M. So is Fe(OH)42- considered a dissolved species of Fe, and if so, it will have an activity of 0.1M? Homework Equations N/A The Attempt at a Solution I want to say that it is not considered...
  43. evilfreddie

    Li-Ion Battery Charger for Drill - 12V 3s Balance Charger

    Hey all I've got an old drill witch nicad batteries had died so i replaced them with 3 li ion batterys for 12v i still have the old charger plug so far I've hadto unsolder the batterys to charge them does anyone know of a 3s balance charger for lithium ion batterys asi can't find any online Tia
  44. Stephanus

    Is Hydrogen Ion a Powerful Antioxidant?

    Dear PF Forum, First of all, Happy New Year 2016, may your hopes, dreams, wishes and plans be fullfiled in this year. I'm interested in AntiOxidant. I've read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant and http://www.1stvitality.co.uk/az/antioxidants/antioxidants.htm Those sites give me this...
  45. M

    Potential of a hydrogenic ion given a wavefunction

    EDIT: moved from technical forum, so no template Hello, I have a problen which is about calculating an electrostatic potential for a hydrogenic atom in the ground state given its wavefunction. Since I know the wavefunction of the ground state I would find it by solving the Schrödinger...
  46. T

    Calculating Magnetic Flux Needed for Ion Control

    Homework Statement A magnet is used to control negative ions and only allow those with a specific mass to pass through a narrow gap opening . The magnet will bend the ion beam in a quarter circle of radius 50 cm . In an experiment, a negative ion accelerated by a voltage of 3.0 kV. Which...
  47. 24forChromium

    Is Electrostatic Ion Separation Possible for Industrial Element Separation?

    This is probably painfully obvious, but I keeping getting the impression that aqueous ions can be separated spatially via electrostatic force. For example, dissolve some sodium chloride in water, and then put the container in an electric field. Wouldn't the sodium ions migrate to the negative...
  48. P

    Finding The Concentration Of An Ion

    If I have a balanced chemical reactoin, for example KOH + HBr ==> H2O + KBr And I am given the concentration and volume of both KOH and HBr, how is it possible to determine the concentration of one of the ions from the net ionic equation? H + OH ==> H2O
  49. J

    Can an organic ion have a charge of -3?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I can't seem to see how an organic ion with charge -3 is formed. I thought an organic ion will always have a charge of -1? Like sodium ethoxide CH3CH2CO-Na+ ? I know that Na can only react with alcohols and carboxylic acids, so B...
  50. G

    Ion Flow Through a Channel: Current and Charge

    Sodium ion flows a through a cylindrical ion channel --> diameter = 0.85 um and is 5 um long. potential difference b/w the ends of the channel is 225 mV drift velocity = 0.015 m/s in a period of 1 ms, a total of 15*10^6 ions exit the channel a. total charge exiting the channel in 1 ms =? b...
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