* Zinc's natural state: Zinc (Zn) is a neutral atom, meaning it has an equal number of protons (positive charge) and electrons (negative charge).
* Losing electrons: When an atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation).
* Calculating the charge: Since zinc loses 3 electrons, its positive charge increases by 3.
Therefore, the total charge of the zinc ion is +3. This is represented as Zn³⁺.
