What is Ions: Definition and 343 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. V

    What are ions of molecules interacting with in vivo

    For example: amino acids that are floating around, some with charge at physiological pH. My question is what exactly do the charged amino acids form a salt with? other amino acids? sugars? fatty acids? whatever happens to have an opposite charge and is close? A rephrasing: I am thinking...
  2. F

    Basicity of Halogen Ions - Point Out My Error

    This isn't technically a homework problem; I'm reading about Sn2 reactions and the basicity of halogen ions came up and for some reason I can't get my head around this Chem I concept. Please point out the flaw in this thinking: 1) Fluorine (F) is a small, electronegative atom 2) F will...
  3. C

    A solution of hydrogen ions with no counterions

    If I add some HCl to water then I'll have H+ ions but for every proton there'll be be a Cl- counterion. I've never heard of a solution containing only the protons. You could make one if your conjugate base reacted with a solute to form a gas. The gas bubbles out and all you're left with are the...
  4. T

    Why do some polyatomic ions violate the octet rule?

    Why do some polyatomic ions violate the octet rule? I'm trying to figure out the lewis diagrams of some ions by myself, and sometimes I see things like these: http://www.chemprofessor.com/bonding_files/image035.jpg [PLAIN][PLAIN]https://www2.bc.edu/~teeter/Courses/Phosphate.GIF These things...
  5. D

    Discover the Three Ions of Oxygen: Names & Formulae Revealed!

    The Question: - "Oxygen forms three separate ions. What are the names and formulae of the three ions?" Now I am familiar with the ion "Oxide" which is the Oxygen atom with a 2- (negative two) charge, but I cannot find any information on these other two, any help would be greatly appreciated...
  6. O

    Determine the radial flux density (jr) of chlorine ions

    Homework Statement A cell 20 microns long and 2 microns in diameter enclosed in a membrane 80 nonometers thick with a dielectric constant of 8 (neglet the ends). The cell has a potential difference between outside and inside of -70 millivolts, calculate the extra chlorine ions that must...
  7. B

    Understanding Polyatomic Ions: Sulfite & Sulfate

    How come polyatomic ions--for instance, sulfite and sulfate--have the same net charge?
  8. L

    Negative ions effect benefit on the body ?

    Negative ions effect benefit on the body ? I saw many claim on the internet by company selling bracelet, necklace and insole that emit negative ion using volcanic ash,tourmaline or a mixture of many mineral. They claim negative ion research stating increase energy, deeper sleep, more...
  9. L

    How does tourmaline produce negative ions ?

    How does tourmaline produce negative ions ? Where those negative ions come from ? I know that negative ions is simply atoms with 1 extra electron so where they come from ? I also know that volcanic ash also produce negative ion same question ?
  10. G

    Hydration energy and charge to size ratio of ions

    why does the hydration energy decrease as the size of the ion increases? I want a logical reason... I already know that it is because the charge to size ratio decreases...
  11. I

    Polyatomic ions and their charge

    This question is regarding polyatomic ions and their charge. I have always been told that I have to memorize the charge of polyatomic ions. The question is whether I can determine by myself the charge of two atoms when they join together to form a polyatomic ion. For example Se and O can form...
  12. edpell

    Accelerate He ions on to Thorium

    Can we breed protactinium from thorium by hitting it with accelerated He ions?
  13. S

    How do ions conduct electricity in water?

    Hello, in water NaCl break itself into positive and negative ions but i didn't understood how exactly works the electricity conductions... the negative ions go to positive so seen that they are negative shouldn't repel the flow of electricity causing no conduction? thanks!
  14. F

    Calculating Net PE in Ions: A & B Constants

    The general expression for calculating net potential energy in ion is: PE (r) = A r^m + B r^n where A & B are proportionality constants. What exactly are these constants?? Could anyone point me to correct resources?? I'm new at this forum and very interested in learning physics.?
  15. E

    Chemistry - Ions and subatomic particles

    Homework Statement 19F- p+ = ? n = 10 e- = ? Mass number = ? ---------------- 137Ba2+ p+ = ? n = ? e- =? Homework Equations Are these (answers below in italics) correct?The Attempt at a Solution 19F- p+ = 9 n = 10 e- = 10 Mass number = 19 137Ba2+ p+ = 56 n = 81 e- = 54 Mass number = 137
  16. FeDeX_LaTeX

    Chemistry - Concentration of Ions

    Homework Statement What is the concentration of ____ ions in a ___ mol dm-3 solution of ___?Homework Equations mass/molar mass = number of moles volume/molar volume = number of moles Not sure what other equations... The Attempt at a Solution I'm not understanding how this works. I have...
  17. K

    Volume affects temperature change? No. of hydrogen ions?

    Homework Statement a) 100 cm3 of 0.1 mol/dm3 of hydrochloric acid was added to 100 cm3 of 0.1 mol/dm3 of sodium hydroxide and a rise in temperature of 4 degrees was observed. If 200 cm3 of 0.1 mol/dm3 of hydrochloric acid and 200 cm3 of 0.1 mol/dm3 of sodium hydroxide were used, the rise in...
  18. P

    How to accelerate ions at home?

    How to accelerate ions at home? I am really interested in accelerating some metal ions at home but don't really know where to start... I am willing to reach 30 keV... Is it even possible? Are there any alternative ways of doing this other than using accelerators? Many thanks for your...
  19. P

    Is Photoelectric effect on ATOMIC ions possible?

    Hi, I am interested to know if photoelectric effect happens in a "single atom" of say Iron which is in a vacum... ? if yes, what is the workfunction of Fe2+ ? If no what is the ionization energy of Fe2+ in eV? Thanks in advance.
  20. J

    Bose-Einstein condensate and ions spin

    Is it that correct to say that ions ina B-E condensate rotate at around 10^15 rpm? (don't know the exact english term for this, sorry).
  21. A

    Why do Manganate(VII) ions need scidic conditions?

    Homework Statement MnO_4^{-} + 8H^{+} + 5e^{-} \rightleftharpoons Mn^{2+} + 4H_2O 1. Explain why the presence of an acid is necessary for aqueous permanganate ions to function as an oxidizing agent. 2. Give two reasons for the aqueous permanganate ions acting as an oxidizing agent in acidic...
  22. J

    What is the correct structure for transition metal complex ions?

    I'm getting myself muddled up, and don't know how to work out what the 3-d structure of transition metel complex ions. For example, the compound [CoCl4] has a Cobalt +2 ion surrounded by four chloride ions. I've seen two different structures for it. One is tetrahedral, like methane, the other...
  23. Drakkith

    Magnetic Field of High Speed Ions

    Hey all. Just a quick question. Would high speed positive ions in a vacuum create a magnetic field that would attract other positively charged particles? If so, why is that? I understand that moving charges creat magnetic fields, but I thought that in the absence of a conductor or opposite...
  24. J

    Why Do Complex Ions with the Same Number of Ligands Form Different Shapes?

    I'm currently trying to cram knowledge of the transition metals into my head for a chemistry final exam, although i have come across a stumbling block when reading about the 3 dimensional shapes that complex ions form. My textbooks say that complex ion with 4 coordination bonds will form a...
  25. K

    Metal Ions and Colors: Find Yours!

    From what I know, different metal ions produce different colours. This is due to the fact that electrons jump to the next energy level when energy is absorbed but then released some of that energy back, producing different wavelengths and thus different colours. What I want to know is...
  26. L

    Magnetic field extraction of positive ions

    A gas composed of nuclear fuel is undergoing fission, producing fast moving positive ions that I wish to remove from the system by use of a magnetic mirror. What field strength is needed to ensure the fragments follow the trajectory I need, and not interact with the surrounding material?
  27. Drakkith

    Converting Ions into Electricity

    Hey all. I'm trying to find more info on converting moving ions into electricity. AKA Direct Energy Conversion. Anyone know any good sources? I don't really understand how they do it yet, even after reading a few things I found on google.
  28. C

    Calculating Ca2+ Ions in 0.05 Moles of Ca(NO3)2 | Homework Equations

    Homework Statement Homework Equations How many Ca2+ ions are there in 0.05 moles of Ca(NO3)2? The Attempt at a Solution how do we calculate the number of ions?
  29. Femme_physics

    Does too much ions in the air cause rain?

    My friend told me that he heard from a friend that it does. I think it's a bit of a wild concept, but is there some validity in there if not any?
  30. Drakkith

    What is the formula for finding the speed of ions in a heated plasma?

    First off, this isn't a homework problem, but something I am trying to figure out on my own. I figured there wasn't a better place in the forums to ask though. Homework Statement I'm trying to find the velocity of positive ions in a deuterium plasma that is heated to 15keV. Homework...
  31. T

    Magnitude of Electric Force Between Two Ions

    Homework Statement Find the magnitude of the electric force between a Na+ ion and a Cl- ion separated by .5 nm. Homework Equations |F| = (kQq)/r^2 The Attempt at a Solution So the problem I am having with this question is this: my first attempt at a solution was to designate |Q| =...
  32. mbrmbrg

    Why do metal ions appear in Pyrex glass?

    Metal ions in Pyrex--why? According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrex#Composition" is composed of oxygen, silicon, calcium, and sodium. I've Google Scholared to no avail... Thanks!
  33. Femme_physics

    Are Ions Stable? Understanding Their Power

    Whenever I think of an ion I think of an atom that can generate electricity. Something powerful. I wonder, if an ionic state is a pretty rare state to be in that only happens under special, and mostly temporary conditions? Or, is my view of ions wrong?
  34. N

    Can Charged Gas Ions be Contained in Space Using an Electric/Magnetic Field?

    If you had charged gas particles in space, they would attempt to spread apart and fill the empty space vacuum correct? -So if you had an open container in space (like a soda can open at one end), the charged particles would naturally try to escape the container as far as I understand. -Now...
  35. C

    Spectator Ions in Precipitation Equations: Identifying and Understanding Them

    Homework Statement The spectator ions in the precipitation equation Pb(NO3)2+ 2KI --> PbI2 + 2KNO3 are ________. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I've been working through a lot of practice problems for next week's final exam, and I seem to be struggling with this...
  36. S

    Effect of dissociation energy on plasma ions behavior

    Hi, Suppose there are two plasma cases, conditions are the same, except for the gases present: a-Oxygen b-Nitrogen Since the dissociation energy of nitrogen is higher than oxygen, what could be concluded from it? Could it be more energetic nitrogen ions than oxygen ions (because initially...
  37. L

    Dissociation of Acids & Bases into Ions

    why do acids and bases dissociate into ions while in water?
  38. B

    Coordination Chemistry: how many ions formed when dissolved

    Hey, [Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl I don't understand how there isn't just one mole of Cl- ions formed when you dissolve one mole of the compound in water. The answer is '2 moles', but I don't see how :( Another example is [Co(NH3)4]Cl3 How many moles of ions are formed when 1 mole of this...
  39. L

    What characteristic of a base enables it to ''accept'' Hydrogen Ions?

    According to the Brønsted-Lowry definition, a base is a compound that can -keyword- accept H+, and an acid anything that can give H+.
  40. O

    Understanding Empirical Formulas & Ions: 2 Questions Answered

    2 Questions please hello. i need help to Understand how can i Write Empirical formula for Al or in general how to Write Empirical formula? 2)i also need help to Understand how can i know what Ion i will get from Ba and P ? i think for ba is will be Negative because there more...
  41. Z

    Is Electronegativity Applicable to Ions?

    Is there any method to compare the electronegativity of ions such as O-, N+, S-, O+?
  42. A

    Single Electron Ions Homework: Find Wavelengths

    Homework Statement In a hot star, a multiply ionized atom with a single remaining electron produces a series of spectral lines as described by the Bohr model. The series corresponds to electronic transitions that terminate in the same final state. The longest and shortest wavelengths of the...
  43. A

    Chemistry problem with molarity and ions

    Homework Statement Sodium carbonate is often added to laundry detergents to soften hard water and make the detergent more effective. Suppose that a particular detergent mixture is designed to soften hard water that is 3.8×10^−3 M in Ca2+ and 1.1×10^−3 M in Mg2+ and that the average capacity...
  44. K

    How Do Isoelectronic Ions Compare in Size and Configuration?

    Homework Statement P3-, S2-, Mn7+ , Sc3+, and Ti4+ are isoelctronic ions. 1)Write the ground state noble gas configuration for each of these ions. 2)Which one of them would you expect to thave the smalles radius? 3)Rank then from smallest to largest. Homework Equations The...
  45. S

    Negative oxygen ions reaction with hydrogen

    Under what conditions and how will negative oxygen ions react with hydrogen and hydrocarbons (such as methane or gasoline)?Does it require some catalyst or should be burned together? What is a way to harness spare electrons from oxygen when water is formed?
  46. L

    Norganic cofactors such as metal ions permanently bound

    Homework Statement I have a small question, are inorganic cofactors such as metal ions permanently bound or temporarily bound to enzymes...? i can't find any info concerning this..and if anyone could tell me if i understand this concept properly: Cofactors are separated into either organic...
  47. T

    Calculating the molarity of ions

    Homework Statement When a reaction mixture with a total volume of 4 L that contains 9.99 g of solid CaSO4 was stoichiometrically produced as per the balanced equation with 2.50 L of aqueous Ca2+, what molarity (M) of Ca2+ was required? Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 3 CaBr2(aq) → 2 AlBr3(aq) + 3 CaSO4(s)...
  48. blainiac

    Accelerating ions using Van de Graaff help

    First, let me say hello to everyone on the forums! A friend and I have converted a 36" CRT television into a HV source using its flyback transformer. We discharged the tube before taking anything else apart. We have the HV source attached to a thin wire, which causes the air around it to...
  49. somasimple

    Distance Between Ions and Water Molecules in Hydrated Solutions

    Hi All, What are the average distance of a ion and a water molecule when it is hydrated. 1/ for sodium? 2/ potassium? Thanks.
  50. A

    Are There Any Ions with a +4 Charge?

    My coursework is ruined, but I am not asking for help with my coursework. Does anyone know if there is a ion with a charge of +4. I might not be making sense. I know about Copper Chloride (CuCl+2) and Silver Nitrate (AgNO3+1) and Iron III Chloride (FeCl+3). Does anyone know of a plus 4? I...
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