An altered atom with a net positive or negative charge is known as what?

An altered atom with a net positive or negative charge is called an ion. This occurs when an atom gains or loses electrons, resulting in an unbalanced charge. When an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes positively charged and is referred to as a cation. Conversely, if an atom gains electrons, it develops a negative charge and is known as an anion. Ions are fundamental in chemistry and play crucial roles in various chemical reactions and processes, including those involving ionic compounds and the formation of salt.

The other options do not accurately describe an altered atom with a net charge. An element refers to a pure substance consisting entirely of one type of atom, while a molecule is a group of two or more atoms bonded together, which can be the same or different elements. A compound is a substance formed when two or more different elements chemically bond together. None of these directly imply a charged state, which is the defining characteristic of an ion.