Introduction Electric Charge: Definition, types of charges - positive and negative, properties of electric charge. Conductors and Insulators: Definition, examples, and their characteristics.
Electric Charge: Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter that describes the interaction between particles that have the same or opposite charges. Electric charges are of two types: positive and negative. Protons carry positive charge, while electrons carry negative charge. The unit of electric charge is Coulomb (C).
Types of Charges:
Positive Charge: A body that has a deficiency of electrons is said to be positively charged. The charge on a proton is considered positive.
Negative Charge: A body that has an excess of electrons is said to be negatively charged. The charge on an electron is considered negative.
Properties of Electric Charge:
- 1. Electric charges are conserved. The total charge in a closed system remains constant.
- Electric charges exert an attractive or repulsive force on each other, depending on whether they are of the same or opposite charge.
- 2. Electric charges are quantized, which means they exist in discrete amounts and cannot be divided into smaller units.
Conductors and Insulators:
Conductors are materials that allow electric charges to move freely through them. Examples of conductors are metals like copper, silver, and gold. The movement of charges in conductors is responsible for electric current.
Insulators are materials that do not allow electric charges to move freely through them. Examples of insulators are rubber, glass, and plastic. The charges in insulators remain fixed in position and do not move easily.
Characteristics of Conductors and Insulators:
- (1)Conductors have a low resistance to the flow of electric current, while insulators have high resistance
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- (2)Conductors can be easily charged by induction or conduction, while insulators are difficult to charge.
- (3)In conductors, electric charges move freely through the material, while in insulators, the charges remain fixed in position.
- (4)Conductors can be easily grounded, while insulators cannot be easily grounded.
