Atom vs. Ion — What's the Difference?

The basic building block of matter, neutral in charge.

An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of electrons.

Characterized by its atomic number, the number of protons in its nucleus.

Cations are positively charged ions formed by losing electrons.

Neutral atoms become ions by losing or gaining electrons.

Anions are negatively charged ions formed by gaining electrons.

Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons, known as isotopes.

The charge of an ion is indicated by a superscript next to the element symbol.

In their stable form, atoms have a full outer electron shell or share electrons through covalent bonding.

Ions are essential in the formation of ionic compounds, like salts.

An atom is the smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element. Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms.

An ion () is a particle, atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of the electron is considered negative by convention.

A part or particle considered to be an irreducible constituent of a specified system.

An atom or a group of atoms that has acquired a net electric charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons.

The irreducible, indestructible material unit postulated by ancient atomism.

An atom or group of atoms bearing an electrical charge, such as the sodium and chlorine atoms in a salt solution.

An extremely small part, quantity, or amount.

An atom or goup of atoms (radical) carrying an electrical charge. It is contrasted with neutral atoms or molecules, and free radicals. Certain compounds, such as sodium chloride, are composed of complementary ions in the solid (crystalline) as well as in solution. Others, notably acids such as hydrogen chloride, may occur as neutral molecules in the pure liquid or gas forms, and ionize almost completely in dilute aqueous solutions. In solutions (as in water) ions are frequently bound non-covalently with the molecules of solvent, and in that case are said to be solvated. According to the electrolytic dissociation theory, the molecules of electrolytes are divided into ions by water and other solvents. An ion consists of one or more atoms and carries one unit charges of electricity, 3.4 x 10-10 electrostatic units, or a multiple of this. Those which are positively electrified (hydrogen and the metals) are called cations; negative ions (hydroxyl and acidic atoms or groups) are called anions.

The smallest unit of an element, having all the characteristics of that element and consisting of a very small and dense central nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by one or more shells of orbiting electrons. Atoms remain undivided in chemical reactions except for the donation, acceptance, or exchange of valence electrons.

One of the small electrified particles into which the molecules of a gas are broken up under the action of the electric current, of ultraviolet and certain other rays, and of high temperatures. To the properties and behavior of ions the phenomena of the electric discharge through rarefied gases and many other important effects are ascribed. At low pressures the negative ions appear to be electrons; the positive ions, atoms minus an electron. At ordinary pressures each ion seems to include also a number of attached molecules. Ions may be formed in a gas in various ways.

This unit regarded as a source of nuclear energy.

A particle that is electrically charged (positive or negative); an atom or molecule or group that has lost or gained one or more electrons

The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.

(history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.

The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something.

(philosophy) In logical atomism, a fundamental fact that cannot be further broken down.

(historical) The smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second.

A mote of dust in a sunbeam.

A very small amount; a whit.

An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list; a scalar value.

(mathematics) A non-zero member of a partially ordered set that has only zero below it (assuming that the poset has a least element, its "zero").

An element of a set that is not itself a set; an urelement.

An age group division in hockey for nine- to eleven-year-olds.

An ultimate indivisible particle of matter.

The smallest particle of matter that can enter into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a molecule.

Anything extremely small; a particle; a whit.

To reduce to atoms.

(physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element

(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything

Ions in solution allow the flow of electric current by moving towards opposite electrodes, making the solution conductive.

Ions are crucial for bodily functions, including nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and maintaining hydration.

Most atoms can become ions under the right conditions, particularly through chemical reactions.

Ions can be detected and measured using various methods, including spectroscopy and electrochemical sensors.

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion, turning it into a cation.

Yes, ion formation can be reversible, often through chemical reactions where ions can gain or lose electrons.

Yes, molecules can become ions, typically through the loss or gain of electrons, resulting in molecular ions.

No, ions can be single atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electrons, known as polyatomic ions.

An ion's charge depends on whether it loses electrons (positive) or gains electrons (negative).

Yes, through chemical reactions, ions can gain or lose electrons to return to a neutral atomic state.

An isotope is a variation of an element's atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved, often containing ions.

Atoms form ions to achieve a more stable electron configuration, often resembling the nearest noble gas.

Ionic bonds form between oppositely charged ions, while covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms.

Ions, particularly H⁺ and OH⁻, directly influence a solution's acidity or alkalinity, thus affecting its pH.