1. What is the charge of a neutral atom when it: a. Loses 2 electrons? b. Gains 1 electron? c. Gains 4 electrons? d. Loses 5 electrons?

The charge of an atom is determined by the number of electrons it has. A neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, so its charge is zero. When an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes an ion and its charge changes. <br />a. When an atom loses 2 electrons, it has 2 more protons than electrons, so it becomes a +2 ion.<br />b. When an atom gains 1 electron, it has 1 more electron than proton, so it becomes a -1 ion.<br />c. When an atom gains 4 electrons, it has 4 more electrons than protons, so it becomes a -4 ion.<br />d. When an atom loses 5 electrons, it has 5 more protons than electrons, so it becomes a +5 ion.