Question

cation is electron deficient of how many electrons?

Answer 1

Electron deficiency occurs when a compound has too few valence electrons for the connections between atoms to be described as covalent bonds.For example consider sodium cations (Na+) and Chlorine anions (Cl-). Sodium has a positive 1 charge and chloride has a negative 1 charge. Thus one sodium cation cancels one chloride anion resulting in the formula Na1Cl1 or NaCl.