Recall that the ammonium ion is represented as \(\mathrm{NH_4^+}\), which means it is a polyatomic ion composed of one nitrogen atom and four hydrogen atoms.
Understand that nitrogen typically has 5 valence electrons, and each hydrogen has 1 valence electron, so the total number of valence electrons before ion formation is \(5 + 4 \times 1 = 9\) electrons.
Recognize that the ammonium ion carries a positive charge, which means it has lost one electron compared to the neutral combination of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms.
Therefore, the overall charge of the ammonium ion is \(+1\), indicating it has one fewer electron than the total number of protons in the atoms combined.
Conclude that the charge of the ammonium ion \(\mathrm{NH_4}\) is \(+1\), which is why it is written as \(\mathrm{NH_4^+}\).