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Charge (-e)

Definition

Charge refers to one of the fundamental properties of matter that determines how objects interact with electromagnetic fields. A negative charge (-e) indicates an excess or deficit of electrons compared to protons within an object.

Analogy

Imagine a group of friends playing a game of tag. If one person is "it" and has a negative charge, it means they have more tags than the others. They will try to pass on their excess tags by tagging other players.

Related terms

Electric Field: An electric field is a region around charged particles or objects where electric forces are exerted on other charged particles.

Coulomb's Law: Coulomb's Law describes the force between two charged objects and states that the force is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Conservation of Charge: This principle states that charge cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred from one object to another.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.