Introduction

A particle, the littlest component unit, is made out of a firmly pressed, decidedly charged core encircled by adversely charged electrons. An atom has two parts: the extra nucleus region and the atomic structure. The neutral neutron (n°) and the positively charged proton (P+) comprise the atomic structure. There are electrons with a negative charge (e-) in the additional nucleus. Mass exists in both atoms and all other elements and compounds. The majority of an atom's mass is concentrated by the protons that make up its nucleus. Protons and Neutrons almost possess the same mass and electrons have negligible mass in comparison. The hydrogen atom's nucleus is home to one proton, surrounded by one electron. Hydrogen is the element with the greatest lightness. The nucleus of each atom contains a predetermined number of protons, each of which attracts a predetermined number of electrons, rendering the atom electrically neutral. Ions can be produced by adding or removing electrons from an atom.

Features of atoms on the bases of modern atomic theory 

The term "modern atomic theory" refers to the most recent or paradigmatic theory of atoms. The modern atomic theory is atomic physicists' best explanation for how atoms appear and behave. According to the fundamentals of atomic theory, atoms are the smallest units of chemical matter.

 Elements are the simplest chemical compounds that cannot be further broken down chemically.

• The atoms of each element are distinct from those of any other element. Subatomic particles, on the other hand, can form when atoms break apart much further.

• Each of the atoms that make up each element has the same number of protons, which are positively charged subatomic particles that are found in the nucleus of the atom.

• Neutrons can also be found in the nucleus, though their numbers may vary between isotopes of the same type of atom.

•  Atoms that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons are called isotopes. For instance, there are distinct hydrogen isotopes despite the fact that every hydrogen atom contains a single proton; Hydrogen-2 has one neutron, whereas hydrogen-1 does not.

• Electrostatic forces also attract the positively charged nucleus to the negatively charged quanta electrons that surround it. In many fundamental representations of the atom, electrons are depicted as spheres or particles that revolve around the nucleus, much like planets do around the sun. The fact of the matter is that the nature of electrons is not accurately represented in this illustration. The current atomic model, on the other hand, describes electrons as clouds, waves, probability functions, or even as undecidable.

Formation of ions from atom

Properties of an Atom:

Each of the atoms has some properties that tell us how it behaves and its ability to combine with other atoms. It also helps us to understand how different substances are formed. 

Mass-

Atoms possess mass because they consist of protons and neutrons. Therefore, the mass of an atom is determined by the number of protons and neutrons it has. 

For example: a helium atom contains more mass than a hydrogen atom. 

Size-

Atoms are very small and they can't be seen with human eyes. Atoms are measured in units and they are called nanometres (nm). Even though atoms are small, they have space in them due to the presence of the nucleus and electrons.

Charge Neutrality-

Atoms are neutral because they have the same no. of both protons and electrons. It means that the total positive charges cancel out with the negative charges. So, overall they contain no charge at all and they are neutral. 

Ability to form bonds-

Atoms can join with other atoms to form molecules. And they do this by sharing electrons in chemical reactions. It allows them to form a wide variety of substances around us. 

Reactivity-

Each atom's reactivity varies depending on its electrons. Atoms with incomplete outer electron shells are generally more reactive. This is because they exchange electrons to become stable. 

For example: neon is not reactive, whereas sodium is highly reactive.

States of matter-

The state of an atom can be solid, liquid or gaseous depending on temperature and pressure. This property makes the substances to change states when heated or cooled.

Ion formation-

Ions are charged particles created when atoms gain or lose electrons. Atoms use this characteristic to create ionic compounds.

Introduction to ions 

When the distribution of protons and electrons in an atom is out of balance, ions form. The most prevalent type of charged particle is ion. It is possible for particles to have both positive and negative charges. If atoms have an electrical charge, they are referred to as ions. An atom with more electrons than protons is referred to as an "anion." When an atom has more protons than electrons, it is called a cation. It is solvable on its own. When electrons are added or taken away from an atom, they form an ion. The two distinct kinds of ions are cations (+) and anions (-).

Features of Ions

• Because there are an equal number of protons and electrons in an atom, it is electrically neutral.

• Nevertheless, during chemical reactions, atoms try to acquire a stable electronic configuration (duplet or octet) by gaining or losing one or more electrons dependent on valency.

• When an atom receives an electron, its electron count rises; as a result, it acquires a negative charge.

• When an atom loses an electron, it receives more protons than it loses, giving the atom a positive charge.

• Ions are those atoms that produce positive or negative charges.

• We give an atom the "+" sign when it loses an electron.

• We give an atom the '-' sign when it gets an electron.  

  
  

Properties of Ion: 

Electrical Charge-

Ions generally carry an electrical charge. They can be either positively or negatively charged. 

• If they lose electrons- cation (positively charged)

• If they gain electrons- anions (negatively charged)

  
  

Ability to conduct electricity in solution-

When melted or in water, ions can travel freely. In these states, they are capable of conducting electricity due to the charges they carry. Because of this, salt water has the ability to conduct electricity.

Attraction to opposite charges-

The oppositely charged ions attract each other. For example, negative ions are drawn to positive ions. Ionic compounds such as salt (NaCl) are formed in part by this attraction.

Forming Crystal Structures-

When ions combine, they form solids and regular crystal structures. This happens due to the fact that in order to balance their charges, the positive and negative ions organise themselves in a certain pattern. Ionic compounds often form hard or brittle crystals.

High melting and boiling points-

Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points. This is due to the forces between the positive and negative ions being strong. It needs a lot of force to break them apart.

Solubility in water-

Ionic compounds dissolve easily in water. They separate and spread throughout the water when they dissolve in the water. This allows them to conduct electricity in solution.

Difference between atom and ion  

Summary

A dual structure for an atom is suggested by the current atomic theory. An atom is made up of the nucleus and atomic orbitals. In the nucleus, along with positively charged protons, neutrons have no electric charge. All matter is made up of atoms, the smallest possible particles. Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons. Ions are formed when certain molecules lose or gain electrons; Therefore, not every ion is an atom. The primary distinction between an atom and an ion is that the former has an electrical charge, while the latter does not.

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Frequently asked questions

1. Can we distinguish an ion from the original atom?

Yes, we can distinguish between an atom and an ion due to differences in chemical and physical properties. Ions can be different sizes than their parent atoms, yes. Anions are larger than their parent atom, whereas cations are typically smaller because they lose the outer electron shell and are held together more loosely.

2. Do ions and atoms both conduct electricity?

No, only ions conduct electricity. Ions have a positive or negative ion, allowing them to carry charge in a solvent. Atoms are neutral and thus have no extra electrons to conduct charge. 

3. Is the half-life of an atom and ion the same?

Half-life is half of the total time a nucleus takes to decompose. Since both atoms and ions have the same nuclear structure and only differ in the number of electrons, both have the same half-life. 

4. Can an ion be called an atom?

No. An Ion originates from an atom but it can not be called an atom. It is an atom that has an electric charge to it. Ions with a (+) charge are called cations. Ions with a (-) charge are called anions. 

5. Are all atoms ions?

No. Not all atoms are ions. All ions are atoms with a positive or negative charge. But not all atoms are ions. A neutral atom can turn into an ion by either losing or gaining electrons.