Question

When a metal atom becomes an ion:
 $(a)$ It loses electrons and is oxidized
 $(b)$ It gains electrons and is reduced
 $(c)$ It gains electrons and is oxidized
 $(d)$ It loses electrons and is reduced

Answer 1

Hint: When an atom loses one or more electrons, it gains appositive charge and is known as cation and when a metal gains one or more electrons it is marked as negative charge and known as anion. Metal atom forms an ionic bond by losing an electron to a nonmetal.

Complete answer:
Ions are electrically charged particles formed when an atom loses or gains an electron. Atoms gain or lose an electron to get stable and attain the Noble gas electron configuration. The gaining and losing of electrons takes place from the outermost shell of the atom. The outermost shell electrons are known as valence electrons. When metal loses electrons we say that it has been oxidized. When nonmetals gain electrons, we say it has been reduced.
In inorganic chemistry, oxidation is a process where an atom loses an electron, gains an oxygen atom or electronegative atoms, loses a hydrogen atom or electropositive atoms and gains an increase in its oxidation number. Reduction is a process where an atom gains one or more electrons, loses an oxygen atom or electronegative atoms, gains a hydrogen atom or electropositive atoms and loses an increase in its oxidation number.
Metal atoms and nonmetals do different things when they ionize. Metal atoms lose the electron, or electrons, in their highest energy level and become positively charged ions. Nonmetals atoms gain an electron, or electrons, to become negatively charged.
Option: $(a)$ It loses electrons and is oxidized.

Note:
The number of charges on an ion formed by a metal is equal to the group number of the metal. The number of charges on an ion formed by a nonmetal is equal to the group number minus eight. Nonmetals have too many electrons in the outermost shell, and they need more energy to lose all those electrons to complete their octet. Hence they gain electrons.