Final answer:
The statement is true; a negatively charged atom has more electrons than protons, which causes the atom to have a net negative charge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that there are more electrons than protons in a negatively charged atom is true. Atoms consist of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Electrons, which possess a negative charge, orbit the nucleus which contains protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive charge while neutrons are uncharged. In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, meaning the positive and negative charges cancel each other out, resulting in no net charge. However, when an atom has more electrons than protons, it becomes negatively charged and is referred to as an anion. The imbalance between the number of protons and electrons leads to a net negative charge. For instance, if an atom has 1 proton, it must also have 1 electron to be neutral. If it has 2 protons, it should have 2 electrons, and so on. Thus, an ion with more electrons than protons carries a negative charge due to the extra electrons.