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Atoms gain or loss electrons to attain a stable state on their electron shell. They do this to form ionic compounds with charges.The cause is that an electron has acquired enough energy (through the absorption of a photon) to break free from the hold of the atomic nucleus, or has been acted on by a force greater than the electron's attraction to the nucleus.The result is that the atom acquires a positive charge and becomes an ion.The lost electron normally is given to an atom that was one electron short of a full outer shell.