Introduction:

When aluminum (Al) changes into an Al3+ ion in solution, it loses three electrons. In this response, we will explain the process in detail.

Explanation:

Step 1: Identify the atomic structure of aluminum:

Aluminum is an element with atomic number 13, which means it has 13 protons in its nucleus. In a neutral state, it also has 13 electrons, as the number of protons and electrons are equal in a neutral atom.

Step 2: Understand the concept of ion formation:

Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. In the case of aluminum, it tends to lose three electrons to achieve a stable configuration, similar to the noble gas neon (which has 10 electrons).

Step 3: Determine the number of electrons lost:

Since aluminum loses three electrons to form an Al3+ ion, we can calculate the number of electrons lost using the following equation:

Number of electrons lost = Initial number of electrons - Final number of electrons

Initial number of electrons = 13 (since aluminum has 13 electrons in its neutral state)

Final number of electrons = 13 - 3 (since aluminum loses three electrons)

Final number of electrons = 10

Therefore, aluminum loses 3 electrons during the ion formation process.

Conclusion:

Aluminum (Al) loses three electrons when it changes into an Al3+ ion in solution. This ion formation process occurs to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to the noble gas neon. By losing three electrons, aluminum achieves a stable configuration with 10 electrons, which is similar to neon's configuration.

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