Which of the following terms refers to positively or negatively charged atoms?

The term that refers to positively or negatively charged atoms is "ions." Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons, resulting in a net electric charge. When an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion, known as a cation. Conversely, when an atom gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged ion, called an anion. This is a fundamental concept in chemistry, as ions play a crucial role in chemical reactions, electrical conductivity, and various biological processes.

Understanding the characteristics of ions is essential for grasping concepts like ionic bonding, where oppositely charged ions attract each other to form compounds. This distinguishes ions from other terms such as molecules, which refer to groups of atoms bonded together, isotopes, which are variations of the same element with differing neutron counts, and atoms themselves, which are the basic units of matter without any implicit charge.