Iron has an atomic number of 26 and a mass number of 56. How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in an atom of iron? an atom of iron lost 3 electrons, what would be the charge of the resulting ion? Write the correct symbol for this ion_
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
- Protons: 26
- Electrons (neutral atom): 26
- Neutrons: 56 – 26 = 30
- Charge after losing 3 electrons: +3
- Symbol for the ion: Fe³⁺
Explanation:
Iron (Fe) is a chemical element with an atomic number of 26. This number tells the number of protons, which are positively charged particles located in the nucleus of the atom. Since every element’s identity is defined by its number of protons, all iron atoms must have 26 protons.
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons, which are negatively charged particles found outside the nucleus, is equal to the number of protons. Therefore, a neutral atom of iron also contains 26 electrons.
The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. Iron has a mass number of 56. To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number:
56 (mass number) – 26 (atomic number) = 30 neutrons
Now, if the iron atom loses 3 electrons, it will no longer be neutral. The loss of electrons means it has more positive charges than negative ones. Each lost electron results in a +1 charge. So, losing three electrons gives the atom a +3 charge.
The symbol for an ion is written using the element symbol followed by the charge in superscript. Therefore, the correct symbol for an iron atom that has lost 3 electrons is Fe³⁺.
This positively charged ion is called a cation. Iron commonly forms +2 or +3 ions in chemical reactions, especially in ionic compounds such as FeCl₂ (iron(II) chloride) and FeCl₃ (iron(III) chloride). The +3 ion, Fe³⁺, is more stable in some oxidation states and often found in biological and industrial processes.