Can Certain Atoms Have a Charge?

Can Certain Atoms Have a Charge?
Atoms of certain elements naturally exist in a charged state, which means
that they have either lost or gained electrons. It really is a matter of simple
algebra. If an atom exists without an electron, it will have a single positive
charge (1+) and if it exists without two electrons it will develop a double
positive charge (2+). On the contrary, if an atom has an extra electron, it
                                                The Very Basics of Humans         5
Figure 1.1 This is a carbon atom. Protons (white) have a positive charge (+) and
            neutrons (shaded) are electrically neutral (n) are found in the nucleus.
            Electrons (black) have a negative charge (−) and orbit the nucleus at
            the speed of light!
will have a single negative charge (1−) and if an atom has two additional
electrons it will have a double negative charge (2−). It is important to keep
in mind that this isn’t random; some atoms are simply more stable in a
charged state. Charged atoms are often called electrolytes because their
charge gives them electrical properties as discussed further below.
   The processes of losing and gaining electrons are interrelated, as dis-
played in Figure 1.2. So, if one atom gains an electron, it is actually
removing the electron from another atom which wants to give it up to
become more stable. This activity is referred to as oxidation and reduc-
tion, whereby oxidation refers to the loss of an electron while reduction
refers to the gain of an electron. You might be thinking that this may have
 omething to do with antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E and
a whole host of others such as β-carotene and lycopene. If you were, then
you are right and have the mind of a scientist. Furthermore, you may have
heard the term oxidation used in reference to energy operations in our
body (for example, oxidation of fat). Again, you would be on the right
track—but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
   Oxidation refers to when an atom or molecule loses an electron.
   Many elements important to nutrition and the proper functioning of
our body exist naturally in a charged state. These elements include
sodium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, magnesium, and calcium. The
charge associated with an atom is often displayed in superscript next to
the element’s symbol from the Periodic Table of Elements. For instance,
sodium is written as Na+, potassium as K+ (both of which have given
up an electron, while calcium is written as Ca2+ and magnesium as Mg2+
as they have given up two electrons. On the contrary, chlorine is
written as Cl−, fluorine as F− and iodine as I− as they have gained an
electron and thus a negative charge. Actually, we tend to refer to chlorine,
fluorine, and iodine as chloride, fluoride, and iodide with respect to this
electrical state.