Electric Charge

Question 1

Positive and Negative Electric Charge

Answer 1

Charge is a physical property of matter. There are two types of electric charge - positive and negative charge. An electron has a negative charge. Static charge is something you have experienced in your life and it happens when the charge from one thing moves to another. This leaves one object with a net positive charge, and the other a net negative charge.

Question 2

Electrostatic Repulsion

Answer 2

Like charges repel, unlike charges attract.

Question 3

Charge of an Electron

Answer 3

Electron has -1.60217662 x 10^-19 coulombs

Charge on electrons: q = ne

where q is charge in couloms
n is number of electrons
e is charge on one electron

Question 4

Electric current as moving electrons

Answer 4

Electricity happens when a current flows around a circuit. Each electron has a charge, and when a current flows, these electrons carry their charges around the circuit. Current is a measure of how fast the electrons (charge carriers) are moving around the circuit. Higher/faster current means higher electron flow and vice versa. SI unit for current is Amperes and is denoted A.

Question 5

Conventional Current

Answer 5

When we talk about the direction of current flow, we talk about the direction that the positive charge moves. What this means is that conventional current actually flows in the opposite direction to the electrons. Conventional current from the positive to the negative, electron flow is from the negative to the positive.