Certified Crop Advisor Practice Exam

Which of the following particles is negatively charged?

1. Cation

2. Ion

3. Anion

4. Neutral particle

The correct answer is: Anion

The particle that is negatively charged is an anion. Anions are atoms or molecules that have gained one or more electrons, giving them a net negative charge. This happens because the addition of negatively charged electrons increases the overall charge balance of the particle, resulting in more negative than positive charges. Cations, in contrast, are positively charged particles that have lost one or more electrons, leading to a greater number of positive charges relative to negative charges. Ions, encompassing both cations and anions, can be positively or negatively charged; however, the question specifically seeks a negatively charged particle. Neutral particles, as the term suggests, have no net charge because they contain an equal number of protons and electrons. Thus, among the options provided, anions are the particles that specifically fulfill the requirement of being negatively charged.