Ions

=LOOKING AT IONS= Ions are atoms with either extra electrons or missing electrons. A normal atom is called a neutral atom.

What do you do if you are a sodium (Na) atom? You have eleven electrons, one too many to have your shell filled. You need to find another element who will take that electron away from you. Bring in chlorine (Cl). Chlorine (Cl) will take that electron away and leave you with 10 electrons inside of two filled shells. You are a happy atom. Now you are also an ion and missing one electron. You are a sodium ion (Na+). You have one less electron than your atomic number.

So now you've become a sodium ion (Na+). Now you have ten electrons. That's the same number as neon (Ne). But you aren't neon (Ne). Since you're missing an electron you aren't really a complete sodium (Na) atom either. You are now something completely new. An ion. Your whole goal as an atom was to become a "happy atom" with completely filled **electron orbitals**. Now you have those filled shells. You are stable.

=NEUTRON MADNESS=

We have already learned that ions are atoms that are either missing or have extra electrons. Let's say an atom is missing a neutron or has an extra **neutron**. That type of atom is called an **isotope**. An atom is still the same element if it is missing an electron. The same goes for isotopes. They are still the same element. They are just a little different from every other atom of the same element.