whaen an atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, the charge of the atom is _________________?
Since they are equal, they cancel each other out. The charge is zero.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
To determine the charge of an atom, you need to look at the number of protons and electrons. Protons have a positive charge (+1), while electrons have a negative charge (-1).
When an atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, the charges of the individual particles cancel each other out. The positive charges from the protons balance out the negative charges from the electrons, resulting in a net charge of zero.
It's important to note that if an atom gains or loses electrons, the number of protons and electrons will no longer be equal, and the atom will have a net positive or negative charge, respectively.
So, when the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons, the charge of the atom is zero.