If an atom loses two electrons, which of the following changes will occur?

Correct Answer: The atom will become a cation with +2 charge.

To understand what happens when an atom loses two electrons, let us look at the subatomic structure of a neutral atom:

1. Electric Charge Balance: A neutral atom contains an equal number of positively charged protons in its nucleus and negatively charged electrons in orbit around the nucleus. Thus, its overall electrical charge is zero.

2. Loss of Electrons: Electrons carry a negative electrical charge, represented as -1 per electron. If an atom loses two electrons, it loses two negative charges:

$\text{Net Charge}=\left(\text{Number of Protons}\right)-\left(\text{Number of Electrons}\right)$

Since the number of protons remains unchanged while the number of electrons decreases by 2, the atom now has two more protons than electrons, resulting in a net positive charge of +2.

3. Formation of a Cation: A positively charged ion is called a cation. Therefore, losing two electrons converts the neutral atom into a cation with a +2 charge (represented as X²⁺).

Why other options are incorrect:

• Atomic Number: The atomic number is defined solely by the number of protons in the nucleus. Losing or gaining electrons does not change the number of protons, so the atomic number remains constant.

• Neutron Number: Neutrons are uncharged particles located in the nucleus. The gain or loss of valence electrons has no effect on the number of neutrons in the nucleus.