Do metals donate or accept electrons?

1 Answer
BRIAN M. · Priya
Feb 7, 2014

In ionic molecules, the metal acts as the positive ion or cation.
In order to take on a positive charge the atom must give away electron. Metals donate electrons.

Magnesium, #1s^2 2S^2 2p^6 3s^2#, would greedily give up the two electrons in the 3s orbital to become stable with at #2s^2 2p^6#.
This would make Magnesium have 12 protons and 10 electrons making it have a +2 charge.

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