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Why does an ordinary atom have no charge?

1 Answer

3 votes

Every atom has particles in it with positive charge (the protons),
and particles in it with negative charge (the electrons).

Most atoms have equal numbers of the positive particles and
the negative ones. So when you combine all the positive charge
in that atom with all the negative charge in it, the sum is zero ...
the atom LOOKS like it has no charge at all.

User Michael Brown
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