Boody said:
) is defined in terms of ordinary mechanical units.In the late 19th century, physicist J.J. Thomson conducted experiments using cathode ray tubes and observed that the particles inside the tube were attracted to positively charged plates and repelled by negatively charged plates. This led him to conclude that the particles, now known as electrons, had a negative charge.
The charge of an electron is measured in units of coulombs (C). One electron has a fundamental charge of approximately 1.602 × 10^-19 coulombs.
In modern experiments, the charge of an electron is measured using a device called an electron charge detector. This device uses a combination of electric and magnetic fields to determine the charge of a single electron, allowing for a more precise measurement.
In the early 20th century, physicist Robert Millikan conducted the famous oil drop experiment, which allowed for a more accurate measurement of the charge of an electron. Since then, the value has been refined through various experiments, resulting in the current accepted value of 1.602 × 10^-19 coulombs.
The charge of an electron is a fundamental constant in the laws of electromagnetism, which govern how particles with charge interact. It is also crucial in understanding the structure of atoms and molecules, as well as many technological applications such as electricity, electronics, and chemistry.