Which region of an atom is responsible for its negative charge?

• A. Electron cloud
• B. Proton shell
• C. Nucleus
• D. Neutron zone

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that an atom consists of three main subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
2. Understand that protons carry a positive charge, neutrons have no charge (neutral), and electrons carry a negative charge.
3. Identify the location of these particles: protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus, while electrons are found in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus.
4. Since the negative charge comes from electrons, the region responsible for an atom's negative charge is the electron cloud.
5. Therefore, the correct answer is the electron cloud, as it contains the negatively charged electrons.