How is a cation formed?

A cation is formed when an atom loses one or more electrons, resulting in a positively charged ion. This process occurs because the atom now has more protons than electrons, leading to an overall positive charge. When an atom has a full outer electron shell, it is more stable; however, during chemical reactions, some atoms may lose electrons in order to achieve a more stable configuration. This is commonly seen in metal elements, which typically have fewer electrons in their outer shell and tend to lose them.

In contrast, gaining electrons would lead to the formation of an anion, which is negatively charged. Sharing electrons equally relates to nonpolar covalent bonds, while forming double covalent bonds involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. These processes do not involve the loss of electrons, which is essential for the formation of a cation. Thus, losing electrons is the definitive action that results in the formation of a cation.