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There are ways that atoms and molecules can gain or lose electrons. If an atom / molecule gains an electron, it will have a negative charge. If it loses an electron, it will have a positive charge. That having been said, the standard charge of an atom should be neutral. An atom will always have a nucleus made up of a specific number of protons (and in most cases the same number of neutrons). The number of electrons will be the same as the number of protons. Since protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge, the equal number of the two will balance each other off. The only item that can vary is the number of neutrons. When the number of neutrons is different from the number of protons, the atom is called an isotope. Since neutrons have a neutral charge, though, this has no effect on the charge of the atom.

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