The conversation between human and AI assistant.
Why do electrons and protons attract each other?
I see. So, what happens when an atom gains or loses an electron?
When an atom gains or loses an electron, it becomes charged and is then called an ion. If an atom gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged, and if it loses an electron, it becomes positively charged. The attraction between ions with opposite charges is what holds them together to form ionic compounds.