Question

A lithium atom has three protons, three neutrons, and three electrons. What is the overall charge on this atom?

Answer 1

Answer:

Lithium charge is -1.

Its valency or charge is -1.

Answer 2

In adding up charges, you can ignore the neutrons ... they have no charge

either way.  They're neutral, which is why they're called Neutrons.

That leaves us with 3 positive protons and 3 negative electrons.  

                      +3  -3  =  0 .  

The atom as a whole is neutral ... its net charge is zero.