Question

Why does an ion have an electrical charge?

Answer 1

An ion has an electrical charge because it has unequal numbers of protons and electrons.

Step-by-step explanation:

An ion has an electrical charge because it has unequal numbers of protons and electrons. An atom is electrically neutral when it has an equal number of protons and electrons. However, when an atom participates in a chemical reaction and gains or loses one or more electrons, it becomes an ion and develops an electrical charge.

Answer 2

An ion has an electrical charge because it either has more electrons than protons or it has more protons than electrons. Electrons, which are found in the shells of an atom, have a negative charge, while protons, found in the atom's nucleus, have a positive charge.