Question

explain why a hydrogen atom can become either an ion or a part of a molecule

Answer 1

Hydrogen atoms are made up from 1 proton and 1 electron.

Hydrogen atoms lose their electron to become \(H^+\) cations, or, more rarely, gain an electron (and have a total of 2 electrons) to become hydride ions \(H^-\).

Hydrogen atoms can also combine (in pairs) to form a covalent bond, each H atom puts up an electron to be shared with it's partner.

Answer 2

The definition of a molecule is two or more atoms held together by a covalent bond. Hydrogen only has one proton. This means that it can pass that one proton onto another element, making it part of a molecule. It can become an ion if it loses that one proton, or gains another proton.
n ion is an atom that has gained or lost one or more electrons. The definition of a molecule is two or more atoms held together by a covalent bond.
Hydrogen only has one proton. This means that it can pass that one proton onto another element, making it part of a molecule. It can become an ion if it loses that one proton, or gains another proton.

Answer 3

"It can become an ion if it loses that one proton, or gains another proton."

this is incorrect. Atoms can't exchange protons in chemical reactions to become ions - if an atom gains a proton, it actually changes the type of atom it is. For example if N somehow gained a proton, it would become an oxygen atom.