Final answer:
A neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons. Examples include hydrogen, which has one proton and one electron, and gold, which has 79 protons and 79 electrons in their neutral states.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of a neutral atom would be hydrogen or gold. For an atom to be considered neutral, it must have an equal number of protons and electrons, which gives it a net charge of zero. The atomic number of an element indicates the number of protons and, in a neutral atom, also the number of electrons. For instance, hydrogen, with an atomic number of 1, has one proton and one electron when it is neutral. Gold, with an atomic number of 79, will have 79 protons and, if neutral, will also have 79 electrons.
Neutrons in an atom also contribute to the mass of the atom but have no charge. While the number of neutrons can vary in isotopes, neutral atoms always maintain a balance between protons and electrons. Therefore, a neutral fluorine atom would contain 9 protons and 9 electrons, with electrons distributed across energy levels as defined by the atom's electronic configuration.