Cation
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
1. A positively charged ion.
These are examples of positively charged ions of the left. Metal atoms lose the electron or electrons in their outer shell and become positively-charged ions. On the right are examples of negatively charged ions.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/chemistry/classifyingmaterials/ionic_bondingrev2.shtml
This model shows a neutral sodium atom (a metal) and a positively charged sodium ion after sodium loses the one valence electron in its outer orbital.
Source: http://iss.cet.edu/electricity/pages/g1.xml