The net charge of an atom is neutral, which means it has no overall charge. This neutrality is due to the balance between the number of protons and electrons within the atom.
Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge. In a neutral atom, the number of protons (positively charged) equals the number of electrons (negatively charged), thus canceling each other’s charge out. For example, a carbon atom has 6 protons and 6 electrons, resulting in a net charge of zero.
However, if an atom gains or loses electrons, it becomes an ion. If it loses one or more electrons, it becomes positively charged (cation), and if it gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged (anion). Thus, while neutral atoms have a net charge of zero, the charge can change based on the electron count.