Answer – A cation is an ion with a positive charge.
Explanation:
A cation is formed when an atom loses one or more electrons, resulting in a net positive charge. This word comes from the Greek word kata, which means “down.” Cations are attracted to the cathode, which is negatively charged, in an electrolyzed solution.
For example, when sodium and chloride atoms combine to form a common salt (NaCl), sodium ions (Na+) act as cations. This is because the sodium atom loses one electron to become a positively charged ion, whereas chlorine gains one electron to become a negatively charged ion. The resulting ionic bond between the two ions creates the compound sodium chloride.
Some common cations that occur in biological processes such as muscle contraction or bone formation include calcium (Ca+2), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg+2), and iron (Fe+2, Fe+3).
