In chemistry, ethanium or protonated ethane is a highly reactive positive ion with formula {chem|C|2|H|7|+}. It can be described as a molecule of ethane ({chem|C|2|H|6}) with one extra proton (hydrogen nucleus), that gives it a +1 electric charge. Ethanium is one of the simplest carbonium ions (after methanium {chem|C|H|5|+}). It was first detecte...