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Electric charge
Beginner
A property of matter that creates and feels electric force.
Charge is a fundamental property of matter, positive or negative, which produces and feels electric forces. Like charges repel, unlike attract. The SI unit is the coulomb.
Rubbing a balloon on hair transfers electrons.
Charge is carried by particles, mostly electrons and protons.
In more detail
Electric charge is a property of matter that causes electric forces. It comes in two types, positive and negative, and like charges repel while unlike charges attract.
Real-world uses
- Photocopiers and laser printers use charge to attract toner to paper.
- Touchscreens detect the change in charge when a finger touches the surface.
- Photocopiers and laser printers work because charged toner and drum surfaces attract and repel each other.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do we call them positive and negative?
It is a convention established by Benjamin Franklin, and it does not imply any physical opposite property.
What is the unit of charge?
The coulomb, the charge carried by about 6.2 × 10¹⁸ electrons.
What carries electric charge in everyday objects?
Electrons carry negative charge and protons carry positive charge, and their imbalance produces static electricity.
Related topics in Electrostatics
Conductors and insulators · Charging by friction, contact, induction · Conservation of charge