Cation facts for kids

A cation is a special kind of atom or molecule that has an electric charge. It's like a tiny particle that has lost some of its negative parts, making it more positive. Because of this, cations always have a positive charge.

Imagine an atom as a tiny building block. Inside, it has even smaller parts:

• Protons: These are tiny particles with a positive charge. They are found in the center of the atom, called the nucleus.
• Electrons: These are tiny particles with a negative charge. They orbit around the nucleus, like tiny planets around a star.

Normally, a regular atom has an equal number of protons and electrons. This means its positive and negative charges balance out, making the atom electrically neutral (no overall charge).

What is a Cation?

A cation forms when an atom or molecule loses one or more of its electrons. Since electrons carry a negative charge, losing them means the atom now has more positive protons than negative electrons. This difference gives the atom an overall positive charge, turning it into a cation.

How Cations Form

Atoms often gain or lose electrons to become more stable. Think of it like atoms wanting to have a full set of electrons in their outer shell, which makes them happy and stable.

• Many metal atoms, for example, tend to lose electrons easily. When they do, they become cations.
• For instance, a sodium atom (Na) has 11 protons and 11 electrons. If it loses one electron, it will have 11 protons and only 10 electrons. This means it has one more positive charge than negative charges, making it a sodium cation (Na+).
• The total electric charge on an ion is simply the number of protons minus the number of electrons. If there are more protons, it's a positive ion (a cation).

Examples of Cations

Cations are very common and important in many areas, from our bodies to batteries.

• Sodium ion (Na+): Found in table salt and important for nerve signals in your body.
• Potassium ion (K+): Also vital for nerve and muscle function.
• Calcium ion (Ca2+): Essential for strong bones and teeth, and for muscle contraction.
• Magnesium ion (Mg2+): Plays a role in many body processes, including energy production.
• Hydrogen ion (H+): Important in understanding acids and bases.

Related pages

• Ion
• Anion

Images for kids

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  Schematic of an ion chamber, showing drift of ions. Electrons drift faster than positive ions due to their much smaller mass.

See also

In Spanish: Catión para niños