If the following generic atom were to undergo ionization,what would be the charge of most likely product?
A)+3
B)-3
C)-5
D)8
E)would probably not ionize

Question

If the following generic atom were to undergo ionization,what would be the charge of most likely product? 
A)+3 
B)-3 
C)-5 
D)8 
E)would probably not ionize

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The generic atom has 11 protons and 18 electrons (since the atomic number is 11 and the charge is 0). If it were to ionize, it would lose or gain electrons to become more stable. Since it is easier to remove electrons than to gain them, the most likely ionization would be the loss of 3 electrons, resulting in a charge of +3 (11 protons - 8 electrons = +3 charge). Therefore, the product would have a charge of -3, since it would have gained 3 electrons to form a stable octet.

If the Following Generic Atom Were to Undergo Ionization,what Would