Here's why:

* Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

* Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus.

* Neutrons are neutral particles also found in the nucleus, but they don't affect the overall charge.

A neutral atom, meaning one that is at rest and not interacting with other atoms, has a balanced charge. This means the positive charge of the protons is perfectly canceled out by the negative charge of the electrons.