Final answer:
A neutral atom is built by having the same number of electrons as protons. The number of protons and electrons must be equal in order to have a balanced overall charge of zero.
Step-by-step explanation:
A neutral atom is built by having the same number of electrons as protons. The negative charge on an electron cancels out the positive charge on the proton, resulting in a balanced overall charge of zero. For example, a neutral atom with 1 proton must have 1 electron, and a neutral atom with 10 protons must have 10 electrons. In order to build a neutral atom, the number of protons and electrons must be equal.