Now the elements of the periodic table will either lose or gain electrons to become just like the noble gases. Remember, your noble gases are the elements that are found in group 8A or group 18. So, there are two different ways to describe the same column of the periodic table. The reason these elements want to become like the noble gases is because noble gases themselves have the optimal number of outer shell electrons. What that means specifically, we'll talk about in several chapters from now, but just realize when it comes to the elements, they'll either lose or gain electrons so that their number of electrons matches one of the nearest noble gases.
When it comes to metals, metals tend to lose electrons to become positively charged ions called cations. Here, just think of it like this: cations at "t" could represent the positive charge that the ion gains. And it makes sense because if you're losing negatively charged subatomic particles in the form of electrons, you're going to become more positively charged. Now metals themselves can have either one type of positive charge or multiple types of positive charges. When a metal possesses one charge, we refer to them as type 1 metals. When metals have multiple charges, then they're referred to as type 2 metals. We'll go into greater detail on what types of metals are type 1 metals and what other types of metals are type 2 metals.
Now if metals lose electrons, then nonmetals must be gaining electrons. So nonmetals tend to gain electrons to become negatively charged ions called anions. Remember, again, this makes sense. I'm gaining negatively charged electrons, so I am going to become more negative as a result. So just remember, the whole reason elements gain and lose electrons is to become just like the noble gases. In the next video, we'll see exactly how many electrons we will lose or gain for any particular element.