Chemical Transformation: What Happens When a Chlorine Atom Gains an Electron?

What is the resulting particle when a chlorine atom gains an electron?

A. An isotope with a positive charge

B. An ion with a negative charge

C. An isotope with no charge

D. An ion with a positive charge

Answer:

It's B!!

Explanation:

When a chlorine atom gains an electron, the resulting particle is an ion with a negative charge.

When a chlorine atom gains an electron, it becomes a negatively charged Cl- ion, with a net charge of -1. This transformation occurs because the atom now has one more electron than protons, leading to an overall negative charge.

Chlorine typically has 17 protons and 17 electrons in its neutral state. By gaining an additional electron, it achieves stability by reaching a noble gas configuration similar to argon.

Since chlorine only needs one more electron to complete its valence shell, it forms an anion (negatively charged ion) when it gains an electron.

Therefore, the correct answer is B: An ion with a negative charge. This process results in the formation of a Cl- ion, which is the negative ion of chlorine.