Neutrons have no electric charge (hence the name), but protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged. So look again at Figure 1: both atoms are electrically neutral. The positive charges are balanced by the negative charges. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes atoms have missing electrons or extra electrons. This results in an electrically charged atom, called an ion. You can (with considerable effort and energy) strip an electron off of helium and make a helium ion with a charge of +1, written as He⁺¹. If you really want a challenge, try adding an electron to helium. You’ll have a whopping power bill and a very short-lived helium ion with a charge of –1: He^-1.