- Electric Charge Definition: Electric charge is defined as the result of the imbalance between the number of protons and electrons in a body.
- Atoms Composition: Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons; protons and neutrons are in the nucleus, while electrons orbit around it.
- Positive Charge: A body becomes positively charged when it loses electrons, resulting in more protons than electrons.
- Negative Charge: A body becomes negatively charged when it gains extra electrons, resulting in more electrons than protons.
- Static Electricity: Static electricity occurs when electric charge is confined to a body, without moving, unlike electric current.
What is Electric Charge?
Everything in the universe is made of atoms, which are electrically neutral because they have an equal number of protons and electrons. Protons have a positive charge and are located in the nucleus with neutral neutrons. The protons are tightly bound in the nucleus.
Protons cannot be separated from the nucleus by normal processes. Electrons, which have a negative charge, orbit the nucleus. The charge of an electron is equal in magnitude but opposite in nature to that of a proton. This balance makes most matter electrically neutral.
Most electrons are bound to atoms, but some, especially those farthest from the nucleus, can be detached. If these electrons are removed, the body will have fewer electrons than protons, making it positively charged.
A body can also absorb extra electrons from outside sources. When this happens, the body becomes negatively charged.
Therefore, an imbalance of electrons in a body (either a deficit or an excess) is called an electric charge.
The charge of an electron is very small and equals 
. So, a total 
number of electrons carries an electric charge of 1 Coulomb.
So, if a body has a deficit of 
electrons, the body will have 1 coulomb of positive electric charge. On the other hand, if a body has excess electrons, the body will have 1 coulomb of negative electric charge.
A charged body is an example of static electricity because the electric charge is confined within the body itself. Here, the charge is not in motion.
But when the electric charge is in motion, it causes electric current. Electric charge has the potential of doing work. That means it has the potential either to attract charge of the opposite nature or to repel charge of the same nature. A charge is the result of separating electrons and protons.
