Taking into account the definition of neutral atom, the atom of carbon has 6 electrons.
But first, you have to know that the nucleus of the atom is made up of two types of particles, protons, which have a positive electric charge, and neutrons, which have no electric charge.
On the other hand, the electrons of the atom are distributed in orbits or shells around the nucleus. That is, the peripheral region is an area where a single type of subatomic particle is found; the electrons. The electron has a negative charge.
Finally, a neutral atom is one that lacks an electrical charge due to a trade-off between the number of its protons and electrons. That is, in a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons because there is a trade-off between the electrical charges within the atom.
In this case, an atom of carbon has 6 protons and 7 neutrons in its nucleus. If the atom is neutral, then:
number of electrons= number of protons
So:
number of electrons= 6
Finally, the atom of carbon has 6 electrons.
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