CHARGES OF ATOMS

You can see that each part of an atom is labeled with a "+", "-", or a "0." Those symbols refer to the charge of the particle. The electron always has a "-", or negative, charge. The proton always has a "+", or positive, charge. If the charge of an entire atom is "0", or neutral, there are equal numbers of positive and negative charges. Neutral atoms have equal numbers of electrons and protons. The third particle is the neutron. It has a neutral charge, also known as a charge of zero. Since the number of protons in an atom does not change, fewer or extra electrons can create a special atom called an ion which is an atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.