* Atoms are electrically neutral: Atoms are made up of protons (positive charge), neutrons (no charge), and electrons (negative charge). In a neutral atom, the number of protons always equals the number of electrons.
* Gases are primarily composed of atoms or molecules: While some gases exist as individual atoms (like noble gases), most gases exist as molecules (like oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide). These molecules are formed by the sharing or transfer of electrons between atoms, but they still maintain a balanced number of protons and electrons overall.
* Ions are exceptions: There are cases where a gas might contain ions, which are atoms or molecules with a net positive or negative charge due to a gain or loss of electrons. However, these are usually present in small quantities and are often referred to as "plasma" rather than simply a gas.
Therefore, while there are exceptions, most gases are composed of atoms or molecules with balanced numbers of protons and electrons, making them electrically neutral.
