What is the charge of an electron?

The charge of an <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/electron">electron</a> is a fundamental physical constant that represents the quantity of negative electric charge carried by a single electron. It is universally denoted by the symbol e.

• Value: The currently accepted value of the electron charge is approximately -1.602176634 × 10^-19 coulombs (C).
• Sign: The charge is negative, indicating that electrons are negatively charged particles. Protons, on the other hand, have a positive charge of the same magnitude (+1.602176634 × 10^-19 C).
• Elementary Charge: The magnitude of the electron charge is also known as the elementary charge because it is the smallest unit of free charge that has been observed in nature. Quarks, which are constituents of protons and neutrons, have charges that are fractions of the elementary charge (either +1/3 e or -1/3 e), but they are never observed in isolation.
• Importance: The electron charge is crucial in many areas of physics, including <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/electromagnetism">electromagnetism</a>, atomic physics, and solid-state physics. It determines the strength of the electromagnetic force between charged particles.
• Measurement: The <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/electron%20charge">electron charge</a> was first accurately measured by Robert Millikan in his oil drop experiment in the early 20th century.