What is the term for the number indicating how many electrons an element has lost or gained to form an ion?

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Multiple Choice

What is the term for the number indicating how many electrons an element has lost or gained to form an ion?

Explanation:
When ions form, the number of electrons gained or lost by an atom is what we call the ionic charge. This charge shows how many electrons moved and the sign indicates direction: the ion is positive if electrons were lost, and negative if electrons were gained. The magnitude tells you how many electrons changed. For example, a sodium atom loses one electron to become Na+ (ionic charge +1), while a chlorine atom gains one electron to become Cl− (ionic charge −1). This term is also known as the oxidation state. Other terms like periods, groups, or homogeneous describe different ideas and don’t indicate how many electrons were transfered.

When ions form, the number of electrons gained or lost by an atom is what we call the ionic charge. This charge shows how many electrons moved and the sign indicates direction: the ion is positive if electrons were lost, and negative if electrons were gained. The magnitude tells you how many electrons changed. For example, a sodium atom loses one electron to become Na+ (ionic charge +1), while a chlorine atom gains one electron to become Cl− (ionic charge −1). This term is also known as the oxidation state. Other terms like periods, groups, or homogeneous describe different ideas and don’t indicate how many electrons were transfered.

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