Which statement is true about a charged atom (ion)?

• A. It has an unequal number of protons and electrons.
• B. It always has no neutrons.
• C. It always has more protons than electrons.
• D. It has an unequal number of protons and neutrons.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that an atom consists of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons are neutral.
2. Understand that a charged atom, or ion, forms when the number of electrons is not equal to the number of protons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge.
3. Note that the number of neutrons does not affect the charge of the atom because neutrons are neutral particles.
4. Recognize that an ion can have either more protons than electrons (positive ion) or more electrons than protons (negative ion), so it is not always true that it has more protons than electrons.
5. Conclude that the true statement about a charged atom (ion) is that it has an unequal number of protons and electrons.