How to Define Electric Charge?

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In summary, the concept of electric charge came before the concept of electric current and the unit of charge (coulomb) is defined in terms of the unit of current (ampere) for practical reasons. The measurement of current is easier by way of magnetic force compared to the measurement of charge by way of electric force. A book that covers the history of electricity and magnetism is "The Origin of Fields." The speaker also asks for recommendations for books on various fields of physics and math.
  • #1
Behrooz
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hello,every one
Could anyone tell me the historical order of the demodulation of these quantities?
My question is how could it the el. charge been defined(ocording to the el. current?but how?were they able to measure el. currrent in that time?)
thanks,
PS,could u please introduce me some books that about the history of physics ; answering such qustions like how is i.e energy defind,what caused the concept of energy...etc.
 
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  • #2
The concept of electric charge pre-dates the concept of electric current. We define the unit of charge (coulomb) in terms of the unit of current (ampere) for practical reasons. It's easier to measure current precisely by way of the magnetic force, than it is to measure charge precisely by way of the electric force.
 
  • #3
someone wrote a book called the origin of fields where the author goes into the history of electricity and magnetism.
 
  • #4
jtbell said:
The concept of electric charge pre-dates the concept of electric current. We define the unit of charge (coulomb) in terms of the unit of current (ampere) for practical reasons. It's easier to measure current precisely by way of the magnetic force, than it is to measure charge precisely by way of the electric force.

so you mean that charge was firs defined by force,when we have to equal,unit charges we will have a special force
 
  • #5
dipstik said:
someone wrote a book called the origin of fields where the author goes into the history of electricity and magnetism.

thanks for the book:eek:rigin of fields:
ill be grateful if u itroduce me such books in every field of physics and math
 

FAQ: How to Define Electric Charge?

1. What is electric charge?

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electric field. It is either positive or negative, and is measured in units of coulombs (C).

2. How is electric charge defined?

Electric charge is defined as the amount of charge that an object possesses, which is determined by the number of protons and electrons it has. Protons have a positive charge of +1, while electrons have a negative charge of -1. The overall charge of an object is determined by the balance of protons and electrons.

3. What is the SI unit for electric charge?

The SI unit for electric charge is the coulomb (C). It is defined as the amount of charge that passes through a point in a conductor in one second, when a current of one ampere (A) is flowing through it.

4. Can electric charge be created or destroyed?

No, according to the law of conservation of charge, electric charge cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transferred from one object to another. This means that the total amount of electric charge in a closed system remains constant.

5. What is the difference between electric charge and electric current?

Electric charge refers to the amount of charge that an object possesses, while electric current refers to the flow of electric charge through a conductor. Electric charge is a static property, while electric current is a dynamic property that describes the movement of charge.

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