PEAZIT Aha card
Go straight to resources ↓An ion: protons stay, electrons change
A proton carries +1 and an electron −1 elementary charge. A neutral atom has equal counts. Losing an electron makes a positive ion; gaining one makes a negative ion.
| Observation | What it means |
|---|---|
| 11 p, 11 e | charge 0 |
| 11 p, 10 e | charge +1 |
One worked example
- 11 − 11 = 0Sodium is neutral.
- 11 − 10 = +1One negative electron has left.
- Na → Na⁺ + e⁻The proton count is unchanged.
Watch out: Changing proton count changes the element; changing electrons changes the ion.
Goal, prerequisites and card origin
What you will learn: Find charge from proton and electron counts.
What you need first: Positive and negative numbers.
An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1
Reference for the underlying principle ↗Show connections
A proton carries +1 and an electron −1 elementary charge. A neutral atom has equal counts. Losing an electron makes a positive ion; gaining one makes a negative ion.