Which one of these systems has the most negative charge?
a) 2 electrons b) 2 electrons, 2 protons c) 5 electrons d) 5 electrons, 2 protons
The system with the most negative charge is d) 5 electrons, 2 protons. Since electrons have a negative charge and protons have a positive charge, having more electrons than protons will result in an overall negative charge for the system.
To determine which system has the most negative charge, we need to consider the net charge of each system.
a) 2 electrons have a charge of -2e.
b) 2 electrons and 2 protons have a net charge of -2e + 2e = 0, where e represents the elementary charge.
c) 5 electrons have a charge of -5e.
d) 5 electrons and 2 protons have a net charge of -5e + 2e = -3e.
Comparing the charges, we see that system (d) with 5 electrons and 2 protons has the most negative charge since it has a net charge of -3e.