Question

An atom loses electrons to form what?

Answer 1

An atom loses an electron to form `"a cation"`.

Explanation:

An atom loses electrons to form `"a cation"`, that is a positively charged ion (and one that is attracted towards the negatively charged terminal, the `"cathode"`).

`"Atom"+Deltararr"Atom"^(+) + e^(-)`

Both charge and mass have been conserved. We had to put energy into the equation because the separation of unlike electric charges undoubtedly consumes energy.

Chemists measure this so-called ionization energy in the gas phase, and thus probe electronic, and atomic structure. The ionization energy is known to increase across a `"Period"` of the Periodic Table (as we look at the Table from left to right), and DECREASE down a `"Group"`.