The part of the atom that has a negative charge is called the electron.
Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom, which is made up of protons and neutrons. While protons carry a positive charge and neutrons are neutral (having no charge), electrons are negatively charged particles. This negative charge is essential for the structure of atoms, as it allows electrons to bond with positively charged protons in the nucleus through electromagnetic forces. The balance between the number of protons and electrons determines the overall charge of an atom – a neutral atom has equal numbers of both, while an ion has an unequal number, resulting in an overall charge.