Elementary Charge

Definition

The elementary charge is the fundamental unit of electric charge carried by a single electron or proton. It has a magnitude of approximately 1.6 x 10^-19 coulombs.

Analogy

Imagine the elementary charge as a tiny building block of electricity, just like how atoms are considered as building blocks of matter. Just as atoms combine to form molecules, elementary charges combine to create larger charges in objects.

Related terms

Coulomb (C): The coulomb is the SI unit of electric charge and represents approximately 6.24 x 10^18 elementary charges.

Electron: An electron is a subatomic particle that carries a negative electrical charge and orbits around the nucleus of an atom.

Proton: A proton is a subatomic particle that carries a positive electrical charge and resides in the nucleus of an atom.