An ion has 12 protons, 14 neutrons, and 10 electrons. The symbol for the ion is
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The symbol for the ion is Mg²⁺.
Explanation:
To determine the symbol for an ion, we need to consider three key components: the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Identify the element:
The number of protons determines the element. Here, the ion has 12 protons, which corresponds to the element magnesium (Mg). Every atom of magnesium has 12 protons. - Determine the charge:
In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons. This ion, however, has 10 electrons, which is 2 fewer electrons than protons. Since electrons are negatively charged, losing two electrons results in a positive charge of +2. Therefore, the ion has a 2+ charge, and it is written as Mg²⁺. - Consider the number of neutrons:
The ion also has 14 neutrons. Neutrons do not affect the charge but do affect the mass number. The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. For this ion: Mass number=12(protons)+14(neutrons)=26\text{Mass number} = 12 (\text{protons}) + 14 (\text{neutrons}) = 26Mass number=12(protons)+14(neutrons)=26
This means the full nuclear symbol could also be written as ²⁶Mg²⁺, where 26 is the mass number. However, unless the question asks for isotopic notation, the standard ion symbol is simply Mg²⁺.
- Conclusion:
This is a magnesium ion that has lost two electrons. The loss of electrons turns the neutral magnesium atom into a positively charged ion. This is common for elements in group 2 of the periodic table, such as magnesium, which typically form ions with a 2+ charge.
So, the correct symbol for the ion is Mg²⁺.
