all electric charges are multiples of the charge on an

electron, or

atom?

All electric charges are multiples of the charge on an electron. An electron carries a fundamental unit of negative electric charge, represented as -1. This charge is considered the basic building block of electric charge. The charge on an electron is approximately equal to 1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs (C).

To understand why all charges are multiples of the charge on an electron, we need to look at the atomic structure. Atoms consist of a nucleus made up of positively charged protons and uncharged neutrons, surrounded by negatively charged electrons. Electrons are considered to be freely movable within an atom and can be gained or lost in certain circumstances, resulting in a charged object.

The charge of an atom is neutral when the number of protons (+) in the nucleus and the number of electrons (-) in the electron cloud are equal. When an atom gains or loses electrons, it becomes an ion. For example, if an atom gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged, and if it loses an electron, it becomes positively charged.

Since electrons carry a fundamental unit of charge, any charged object will have a charge that is a multiple of this charge. For example, if an object has a charge of -3, it means it has gained three electrons, resulting in a charge that is three times the charge of a single electron (-1 x 3 = -3).

Therefore, all electric charges in the universe are multiples of the charge on an electron, whether they are positive or negative.