Here's why:

* Protons: These are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons defines the element. For example, all carbon atoms have 6 protons.

* Electrons: These are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in shells.

* Neutrality: Atoms are typically electrically neutral. This means they have an equal number of positive and negative charges.

Exceptions:

* Ions: Atoms can gain or lose electrons, forming ions. Ions have a net positive or negative charge, meaning they don't have an equal number of protons and electrons. For example, a sodium ion (Na+) has lost one electron and therefore has one more proton than electron.

* Isotopes: Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons. These are called isotopes. While the number of protons remains the same, the number of electrons in isotopes is still equal to the number of protons.

In summary: While atoms are typically neutral with an equal number of protons and electrons, there are exceptions like ions and isotopes.