What is Electric Charge?

Electric charge is a physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. There are two types of electric charge: positive and negative. Like charges repel each other, and opposite charges attract each other.

Properties of Electric Charge

Conservation of Charge: Electric charge is conserved, meaning it cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one object to another.
Quantization: Electric charge exists in discrete amounts. The smallest unit of charge is the charge of an electron, which is approximately -1.6 x 10^-19 coulombs.
Transfer of Charge: Charge can be transferred between objects through processes such as friction, conduction, and induction.

Measuring Electric Charge

Electric charge is typically measured in coulombs (C), named after the French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb. One coulomb is equivalent to the charge of approximately 6.24 x 10¹⁸ electrons.

Electric Charge and Matter

Subatomic particles such as electrons and protons carry electric charge. Electrons have a negative charge, while protons have a positive charge.
The net charge of an object is determined by the balance of positive and negative charges within it. An object with an excess of electrons has a negative charge, while an object with a deficit of electrons has a positive charge.

Applications of Electric Charge

Electric charge has numerous applications in everyday life and technology, including:

Electrostatic Precipitators: Used to remove particulates from industrial exhaust gases.
Electrostatic Inkjet Printers: Utilize electric charge to control the deposition of ink onto paper.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Protection: Important for safeguarding electronic components from damage due to static electricity.