A cation has a positive charge because

Options

A. there are more protons than neutrons
B. the neutrons in the nucleus are charged
C. there are fewer electrons than protons
D. there are more electrons than protons.

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Text Solution:

1. **Understanding Cations**: A cation is an ion with a positive charge. This means that it has lost one or more electrons.

2. **Example of Sodium**: Let's take sodium (Na) as an example. Sodium has an atomic number of 11, which means it has 11 protons and, in its neutral state, 11 electrons.

3. **Electronic Configuration**: The electronic configuration of sodium is 2, 8, 1. This shows that sodium has 1 electron in its outermost shell.

4. **Stability and Electron Loss**: To achieve stability, sodium tends to lose its outermost electron. By losing this electron, sodium can complete its octet configuration, which is a more stable arrangement.

5. **Charge Calculation**: Initially, sodium has 11 protons (positive charges) and 11 electrons (negative charges), resulting in a neutral charge. When sodium loses 1 electron, it now has 11 protons and only 10 electrons.

6. **Resulting Charge**: Since there are now more protons (11) than electrons (10), the overall charge becomes positive. Therefore, sodium becomes a cation with a +1 charge.

7. **Conclusion**: A cation has a positive charge because it has fewer electrons than protons. This imbalance results in a net positive charge.

### Final Answer:
A cation has a positive charge because there are fewer electrons than protons.

---