The exact charge of a Zinc ion with 28 electrons is +2.
A neutral atom of Zinc (Zn) has an atomic number of 30. This means a neutral Zinc atom contains 30 protons and 30 electrons. When a Zinc atom forms an ion with 28 electrons, it signifies a change from its neutral state.
Understanding Ion Formation
Ions are atoms or molecules that possess a net electrical charge due to the gain or loss of one or more electrons.
- Cations are positively charged ions, which form when an atom loses electrons.
- Anions are negatively charged ions, which form when an atom gains electrons.
The charge of an ion is determined by the balance between its number of protons (positively charged) and electrons (negatively charged). The number of protons remains constant for a given element.
Calculating the Charge of the Zinc Ion
To determine the charge of the Zinc ion with 28 electrons, we follow a straightforward calculation:
- Identify the number of protons: Zinc (Zn) has an atomic number of 30. This fundamental property means that any atom or ion of Zinc will always contain 30 protons.
- Compare protons to electrons:
- Number of protons in the Zinc ion = 30
- Number of electrons in the given Zinc ion = 28
- Calculate the net charge: The net charge is found by subtracting the number of electrons from the number of protons.
- Charge = (Number of protons) - (Number of electrons)
- Charge = 30 - 28 = +2
This calculation clearly indicates that the Zinc ion has 2 fewer electrons than a neutral Zinc atom. The loss of two negatively charged electrons results in a net positive charge of +2. Therefore, this Zinc ion is a cation with a charge of +2, commonly represented as Zn²⁺.
Summary of Zinc Ion Characteristics
The characteristics of the Zinc ion with 28 electrons can be summarized as follows:
| Characteristic | Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Symbol | Zn | The standard chemical symbol for the element Zinc. |
| Atomic Number | 30 | Defines Zinc as having 30 protons. |
| Protons in Ion | 30 | The number of protons is constant for any Zinc species. |
| Electrons in Ion | 28 | The specified number of electrons for this particular ion. |
| Electrons Lost | 2 | Calculated as (30 protons - 28 electrons), indicating a loss. |
| Type of Ion | Cation | Positively charged ion formed by losing electrons. |
| Charge | +2 | The resulting net positive charge. |
| Ionic Symbol | Zn²⁺ | The chemical representation of the Zinc ion with a +2 charge. |
Based on the loss of two electrons, this Zinc ion is a cation, and its charge is definitively +2.
