A charged particle refers to an atom or molecule that has an electric charge. It can be positively or negatively charged, or even neutral. Synonyms for charged particles might include ions, cations, anions, electrons, protons, and positrons. An ion is a particle that has a net electrical charge due to the gain or loss of one or more electrons. Cations are positively charged ions, which have lost one or more electrons while anions are negatively charged particles that gained one or more electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom while protons are positively charged particles that are located in the nucleus. Positrons, on the other hand, are positively charged particles that are the antiparticles of electrons.