Thomson’s model of an atom, also known as the “plum pudding” model, proposed that the atom is composed of a positively charged material with negatively charged electrons embedded within it, similar to plums in a pudding.

According to this model, the positive charge of the atom is evenly distributed throughout the atom, while the negatively charged electrons are distributed within this positive material.

This means that the overall charge of the atom is neutral since the positive and negative charges are balanced.

Thomson’s model also explained how atoms can lose or gain electrons to form ions. For example, if an atom loses one or more electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion, while if it gains one or more electrons, it becomes a negatively charged ion. In both cases, the total charge of the ion is no longer neutral since there is an excess of positive or negative charges.

However, the model also had its limitations, as it did not explain some of the observed properties of the atom, such as the spectral lines and stability of the atom.

This led to the development of new models, such as the Rutherford model, which proposed that the positive charge of the atom is concentrated in a small, dense nucleus, and the electrons orbit around it. Nonetheless, the concept of the atom being neutral as a whole still applies in modern atomic theory.