Briefly describe how an oxide ion is formed from an oxygen atom

Chemistry

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An oxide ion (O²⁻) is formed from an oxygen atom (O) through the gain of two electrons.

Process:

  1. Atomic Structure: An oxygen atom has 8 protons and 8 electrons, with the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁴.
  2. Ion Formation: To achieve a stable electron configuration similar to the nearest noble gas (neon), oxygen gains two electrons to fill its outer shell (2p⁶).
  3. Resulting Ion: After gaining these two electrons, the oxygen atom becomes an oxide ion (O²⁻) with a negative charge of -2.

This process is an example of reduction, where an atom gains electrons to form an anion.

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