Effective Charge: What Is It?

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In summary, an effective charge is a phenomenon that occurs when a charged particle is surrounded by a polarizable medium, such as an electron in a metal. This creates a quasi-particle with a lower charge due to the positive charges in the medium screening the electron's "bare charge". It can also occur in vacuum when considering QFT.
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what's effective charge?
 
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To give a quick answer (because I have to leave soon), an effective charge arises when you have a charged particle surrounded by a polarizeable medium, for example an electron in a metal is surrounded by positive charges. What happens is that the electron attracts the positive charge centers to it, so there's this quasi-particle with an effective charge where the positive charges are screening the electron's "bare charge", so the electron appears to have a lower charge than we would measure if we just isolated an electron and measured the charge.

A similar effect can happen if you throw in QFT in the vacuum, but I don't know a great deal about that and will let someone else handle it.
 
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thank you very much!
 

1. What is effective charge?

Effective charge refers to the net positive or negative charge of an atom or molecule. It takes into account both the number of protons and the presence of any surrounding electron clouds.

2. How is effective charge calculated?

Effective charge is calculated by subtracting the number of inner shell electrons from the number of protons. The resulting number is the effective charge, which can be positive, negative, or zero.

3. Why is effective charge important?

Effective charge is important because it helps us understand the chemical properties of atoms and molecules. It can affect how they interact with other atoms and molecules, and can determine their reactivity and stability.

4. What factors can affect effective charge?

The main factors that can affect effective charge are the number of protons, the number of inner shell electrons, and the presence of any surrounding electron clouds. Other factors such as atomic size and electronegativity can also play a role.

5. How can effective charge be manipulated?

Effective charge can be manipulated by changing the number of protons or electrons in an atom or molecule. This can be done through chemical reactions or through external influences such as electric fields.

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