How does one Coulomb of charge compare to the charge on an electron? How do you think such a large difference arose historically?
What is the charge on one electron? ANS: 1.6*10^-19 Coulomb
Charge was discovered well before the electron. It was the current flow (in amperes, that originally defined the coulomb).
Ampere=1coulomb/second
To understand how one Coulomb of charge compares to the charge on an electron, we need to know the charge of an electron. The charge on an electron is generally accepted as -1.602 x 10^-19 Coulombs.
So, if we divide one Coulomb by the charge on an electron, we get:
1 Coulomb / (-1.602 x 10^-19 Coulombs) ≈ -6.24 x 10^18 electrons
This means that one Coulomb of charge is equivalent to approximately -6.24 x 10^18 electrons. The negative sign indicates that the charge is negative, meaning it has an excess of electrons.
Now, let's explore how such a large difference arose historically. The concept of electric charge dates back thousands of years, with early observations of static electricity and the properties of amber, which would attract lightweight objects when rubbed. However, the precise nature and quantitative understanding of electric charge were not well-established until more recent times.
In the late 18th century, experiments by scientists like Benjamin Franklin and Charles-Augustin de Coulomb paved the way for understanding electric charge as a fundamental property of matter. Franklin's groundbreaking work led to the concept of positive and negative charges, where like charges repel each other, and opposite charges attract.
The measurement of electric charge was refined over time through various experiments, including Robert Millikan's famous oil drop experiment in the early 20th century, where he determined the charge of an electron. This experimental work helped establish the current understanding of the charge on an electron, which we now know as -1.602 x 10^-19 Coulombs.
The large difference in magnitude between one Coulomb of charge and the charge on an electron emerged because electric charge is a fundamental property of matter, and the Coulomb is defined based on the macroscopic interactions between charges rather than the individual charge of a single electron. This difference allows us to conceptualize charge at both macroscopic and microscopic scales, enabling us to describe and understand the behavior of electrical systems ranging from atoms to large-scale electrical circuits.
In summary, the large difference between one Coulomb of charge and the charge on an electron arose historically through incremental scientific discoveries and the refinement of measurement techniques, ultimately leading to our current understanding of electric charge and its relationship to the charge on an electron.