It is possible for an atom to gain or lose protons, but we need to look closely at the situation to see what's up. We'll begin with a look at proton capture, which is a way an atom can gain a proton. The process called proton capture is one we will not see in too many places. That's not to say it's uncommon, but there are a limited number of sources of protons. One of the big ones is stars. In what is called stellar nucleosynthesis, we see protons and neutrons that are captured in the massive gravity well of the star. The "body" of the star is a superheated form of matter we call plasma. The plasma is essentially a "soup" of subatomic particles, and, though they have kinetic energies off the charts, they're all "smooshed" together there are are fusing. The primary fuel of stars is hydrogen, and hydrogen is fused in the proton-proton reaction to create helium. But later in the star's life after it exhausts its hydrogen, proton capture (rapid proton capture) builds heavier elements. We can see proton capture in experiments in nuclear physics using accelerators. Protons can be accelerated and slammed into target material, and this was the way that investigators created those heavier elements back in the day using the newly invented machine called a cyclotron. Ernest Lawrence, et al., rode through the Periodic Table and expanded it at the top end by several elements in just a few years. And they did all this using the protons accelerated by the cyclotron and then slammed into atomic targets in the reaction area. In proton emission, which is a form of radioactive decay, a nucleus that is in a highly excited state following something like beta decay, an excited nucleus could further decay by emission of a proton. This situation is unusual, and we generally only see it in the physics lab. It was cobalt-53 that was first noticed to exhibit the property. It's been observed in a couple of dozen other elements, too, but it took a while to sort it all out. Some links can be found below to allow the motivated investigator to learn more.
If an atom of an element gains or loses protons, then it becomes an entirely different element.
NB
Hydrogen has 1 proton
Helium has 2 protons an entirely different element.
Lithium has 3 protons an entirely different element again.
et.seq.,
However, atoms gain of lose electrons to become ions.
Generally speaking the gain or loss of a proton is not possible.
However, in some nuclear decay reactions the nucleus can emit an electron which effectively means that the nucleus has gained a proton, ie a neutron changes to a proton.
This results in a change of atomic number by +1.
146C --> 147N +e-
An atom's identity is defined by the number of protons it has. If the number of protons changes, the atom becomes a different element.
For example, if carbon, which contains twelve protons, were to lose one, it would become boron, which contains eleven protons.
it becomes a different atom and changes the atomic #
No. If an atom lost or gained Protons, it would change the elements atomic number and would change the element completely.
Gains one - it becomes an atom of the element of the next highest atomic number. Looses one - it becomes an atom of the next lowest atomic number
it depends on what atom it is. :)
Cations are positive ions, so an atom is supposed to lose electrons to become a cation. Anions are formed when an atom gains electrons.
Each caesium atom loses an electron and the oxygen atom gain two electrons (for Cs2O).
For an atom to form an ion, it has to either gain or lose one or more electrons. Usually this happens during a chemical reaction, when an element gains or loses electrons to achieve noble gas configuration.
Ions are formed by the gain OR loss of an electron.
The loss or gain of electrons transform an atom in an ion.
Cations are positive ions, so an atom is supposed to lose electrons to become a cation. Anions are formed when an atom gains electrons.
A neutral atom of a chemical element has a constant number of protons and electrons; loss or gain of electrons transform this atom in an ion.After the change of the number of protons the identity of the atom is lost.
Atoms balance out their charges by having the same amount of protons as electrons. Since protons are positive, and electrons are negative, losing an electron increases the positive charge of an atom. This makes it an ANION. If an atom were to gain an electron, it would make it a CATION.
If atoms gain electrons, negatively charged anions are formed. If atoms lose electrons, positively charged cations are formed.
Atoms actually can loose neutrons, but they can't lose protons if they are to remain the same element. Loss of neutrons changes the atom into an isotope of its basic structure. It does not impact the atoms atomic number, just its atomic weight. Loss of protons would change the atoms atomic number. The atomic number defines what the atom is and its location on the periodic table. If an atom loses a proton or a group of protons, as happens in atomic fission, it forms two or more smaller atoms and releases the binding energy as energy to the overall system.
no, it looses them
if an atom gains or loses electrons, it is no longer has an equal number of electrons and protons. Because the charges do not cancel completely, the atom has a net electric charge.
In order for an atom to be an ion, it must have a charge. Atoms are naturally neutral, however, and have a charge of 0 because they have the same number of protons and electrons.In order for an atom to become an ion, it must lose or gain electrons. An atom WILL NOT become an ion if it loses or gains protons, though, because if the number of protons changes, its atomic number changes, and it becomes a different element. For example, if an atom loses one electron, it is now more positive, and its charge becomes +1.
electrons
Yes, but only in nuclear reactions. If an atom emits an alpha particle, it will lose two protons to the emitted particle.
Well im not great at science but i know that a atom which gains or loses an electron will gain a negitive/positive charge and become an ion
Each caesium atom loses an electron and the oxygen atom gain two electrons (for Cs2O).