Fiveable
Fiveable

Electric Charge

Definition

Electric charge refers to the fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. It can be positive or negative.

Analogy

Think of electric charge like the balance in your bank account. Positive charge is like having money in your account, while negative charge is like owing money. Just as money can be transferred between accounts, electric charge can be transferred between objects.

Related terms

Conservation of Electric Charge: Conservation of electric charge is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the total amount of electric charge in an isolated system remains constant over time. In other words, electric charge cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one object to another.

Current: Current refers to the flow of electric charge through a conductor, such as a wire.

Coulomb's Law: Coulomb's Law describes the force between two charged objects and depends on their charges and the distance between them.



© 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.


© 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.