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An atom can have a charge or be neutral, depending on the balance between the number of protons (positively charged) and electrons (negatively charged) it possesses. In its neutral state, an atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in a net charge of zero.

If we were to remove the charge from an atom completely by removing all its electrons, the resulting entity would no longer be an atom. It would instead become a positively charged ion, specifically a cation. The removal of electrons would leave the atom with an excess of protons, causing it to have a positive charge. The magnitude of the positive charge would depend on the number of electrons removed.

Positively charged ions can exist in various chemical and physical contexts, such as in ionic compounds or in plasma. However, it's important to note that removing all the electrons from an atom is a highly energetic process and is not typically encountered in normal conditions. The electrons are bound to the atom by the attractive force of the positively charged nucleus, and it requires a substantial amount of energy to overcome this attraction and remove the electrons.

In summary, an atom in its neutral state has no net charge, and removing all the electrons from an atom would result in a positively charged ion, known as a cation.

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