Chemistry
Name ______________________________
Formation of Ions - questions for handout
Period ____
THIS WORKSHEET SHOWS HOW IONS FORM IN A STEP-BY-STEP WAY. THINK
ABOUT EACH QUESTION AS YOU GO THROUGH IT!
1. Atoms of two different elements are shown on the attached sheet.
What elements are shown? __________________________________________________
2. In the diagram, a ball of particles is shown in the center of each atom. What is this?
______________________________ Why are there two different colors of particles in this central
part? __________________________________________________________
What is the “fuzzy” part supposed to be? ______________________________________
What particles are in this fuzzy part? _________________________________________
3. Do the two atoms shown on the left side of the diagram have an electrical charge or are
they “neutral”? ___________________ How do you know? ________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. What kind of charge does the calcium ION end up with on the right side of the diagram?
(positive or negative)? _____________________ Why does it get this charge? ______________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What is the name for an ion with this kind of charge? ________________________________
5. What kind of charge does the oxygen ION end up with on the right side of the diagram?
(positive or negative)? _____________________ Why does it get this charge? ______________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What is the name for an ion with this kind of charge? ________________________________
6. How many valence electrons would the Ca and O atoms LIKE to have around them? ______
Look at the electron configurations of the calcium and oxygen atoms (on the left side).
Are these atoms as stable as they “want to be”? _______ Explain: ________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. Write the electron configuration for the calcium ION here ___________________________
How many valence electrons does the calcium ION have? ____________
Is it MORE STABLE or LESS STABLE than the regular calcium atom? _________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________________
8. Write the electron configuration for the oxygen ION here ___________________________
How many valence electrons does the oxygen ION have? ____________
Is it MORE STABLE or LESS STABLE than the regular oxygen atom? _________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________________
9. Now look at the electron configurations for the two IONS you wrote in questions 7 and 8.
What element has the same electron configuration as the calcium ION? _________________
What element has the same electron configuration as the oxygen ION? __________________
What type of element are both of these elements? ___________________________________
SO – when an atom becomes an ION, it has the same configuration as a _________________.