Slay the North Dakota Cosmetology Exam 2026 – Get Stylish, Get Certified!

A positively charged ion is known as a cation. This term is derived from the Greek word "katión," which means "going down" or "to go down," reflecting how cations are attracted toward the cathode in electrolysis. Cations are formed when an atom loses one or more electrons, resulting in a net positive charge due to the unbalanced positive charge of protons compared to electrons.

In the context of chemistry, understanding cations is fundamental as they play a crucial role in various chemical reactions, particularly in ionic bonding where they pair with negatively charged ions, known as anions, to form neutral compounds. The behavior and interaction of cations can influence the properties of substances, such as conductivity in solutions.

The other terms listed relate to subatomic particles or negatively charged ions, which are essential concepts but do not accurately represent a positively charged ion like a cation does.