Question

part a - multiple choice (choose the correct answer)

1. what is ionization?

a. the process of splitting an atoms nucleus
b. the process of gaining or losing electrons to become stable
c. the process of changing protons into neutrons
d. the process of bonding two atoms together

1. when an atom loses electrons, it becomes a:

a. neutral atom b. anion c. cation d. molecule

1. which of the following elements is most likely to gain electrons?

a. sodium (na) b. magnesium (mg) c. oxygen (o) d. aluminum (al)

1. what type of ion is formed by nonmetals?

a. positive ions b. negative ions c. neutral atoms d. isotopes

1. which element in the first 20 elements is already stable and does not form ions easily?

a. hydrogen b. neon c. fluorine d. sodium
part b - fill in the blanks

1. the outermost electrons of an atom that take part in chemical bonding are called ______________.
2. a positively charged ion is called a ____________, while a negatively charged ion is called a ____________.
3. metals such as sodium and magnesium tend to ____________ electrons, while nonmetals such as chlorine tend to ____________ electrons.

part c - short answer

1. why do atoms undergo ionization? explain using the concept of stability or the octet rule.
2. write the ionization reaction for sodium (na) and explain what happens to its electrons.

Explanation:

1. Ionization is the process of gaining or losing electrons to become stable. Option A is nuclear fission. Option C is not a common process in basic ionization. Option D is chemical bonding.
2. When an atom loses electrons, it has more protons than electrons, so it becomes a cation (positively - charged ion). An anion is negatively - charged (gains electrons), a neutral atom has equal protons and electrons, and a molecule is a group of atoms bonded together.
3. Non - metals like oxygen (O) tend to gain electrons. Sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), and aluminum (Al) are metals that tend to lose electrons.
4. Nonmetals gain electrons to form negative ions. Positive ions are formed by metals losing electrons. Neutral atoms have no net charge, and isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.
5. Neon is a noble gas. Noble gases have a full outer electron shell (octet) and are stable, so they do not form ions easily. Hydrogen, fluorine, and sodium are not noble gases and are more likely to form ions.
6. Valence electrons are the outermost electrons that participate in chemical bonding.
7. By definition, a positively charged ion is a cation and a negatively charged ion is an anion.
8. Metals tend to lose electrons (to achieve a stable electron configuration, usually similar to a noble gas) and nonmetals tend to gain electrons.
9. Atoms undergo ionization to achieve a stable electron configuration. According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons so that their outer electron shell has 8 electrons (except for hydrogen and helium which have 2). For example, sodium (Na) has 1 valence electron. By losing that 1 electron, it gets a stable electron configuration similar to neon.
10. The ionization reaction for sodium is \(Na

ightarrow Na^{+}+e^{-}\). Sodium has 1 valence electron. When it ionizes, it loses that 1 electron. The electron is removed from the outermost shell (3s orbital for sodium), and sodium forms a \(Na^{+}\) ion with a stable electron configuration (similar to neon).

Answer:

1. B. The process of gaining or losing electrons to become stable
2. C. Cation
3. C. Oxygen (O)
4. B. Negative ions
5. B. Neon
6. Valence electrons
7. Cation; Anion
8. Lose; Gain
9. Atoms undergo ionization to achieve a stable electron configuration. According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons so that their outer electron shell has 8 electrons (except for hydrogen and helium which have 2).
10. The ionization reaction for sodium is \(Na

ightarrow Na^{+}+e^{-}\). Sodium loses its 1 valence electron.