If you remove an electron from an atom, it results in the formation of a positively charged ion. This process is known as ionization. The atom starts with an equal number of protons and electrons, which creates a neutral charge. However, when an electron is removed, the number of positively charged protons becomes greater than the number of negatively charged electrons, leading to a net positive charge.
The specific charge of the resulting ion depends on which electron is removed and the atomic structure of the atom. If the outermost (valence) electron is removed, it typically forms a positively charged ion known as a cation. The charge of the cation will be equal to the number of electrons removed.
For example, if you remove one electron from a neutral sodium atom (Na), which has 11 electrons, it becomes a sodium cation (Na+). The resulting sodium ion has 11 protons and only 10 electrons, giving it a net positive charge of +1.
It's important to note that removing electrons from an atom requires energy input because electrons are held by the attractive force of the positively charged nucleus. The energy required to remove an electron is known as ionization energy. Different elements have different ionization energies based on their atomic structure.