What can be concluded if an ion of an element is smaller than an atom of the same element?
(1) the ion is negatively charged because it has fewer electrons than the atom.
(2) the ion is negatively charged because it has more electrons than the atom.
(3) the ion is positively charged because it has fewer electrons than the atom.
(4) the ion is positively charged because it has more electrons than the atom.

The question is,'what can be concluded if the ion of an element is smaller than the atom of the same element'. The correct option is 'the ion is positively charged because it has fewer electrons than the atom. An atom becomes charged either by donation or accepting electrons. When an atom donate electrons, it becomes positively charged and it has less electrons than its atom. For instance, calcium has 20 electrons, it becomes an ion by donating its two electrovalent electrons, thereby having only 18 electrons left. But when an element accepts electrons, it becomes negatively charged and has more electrons than its atom.