What Determines the Polarity of Particle Charges?

[nuby]

What physical property of a particle determines its charge polarity. For example, with an electron and positron, what makes an electrons (-) and what makes a positron (+). Is there an observable difference that explains this (other than they attract each other and annihilate)?

 

[Vanadium 50]

It's convention. Benjamin Franklin decided it. We could have chosen the reverse convention.

 

[nuby]

But is there a physical attribute of the particle that makes it - or +?

 

[tiny-tim]

But is there a physical attribute of the particle that makes it - or +?

"other than they attract each other" … noooo

As Vanadium 50 says, it's convention.

 

[nuby]

This sounds comparable to people trying to figure out why colors are "colorful" before anyone knew about light wavelength.

 

[tiny-tim]

This sounds comparable to people trying to figure out why colors are "colorful" before anyone knew about light wavelength.

No, because comparative length of wavelength is not arbitrary … everyone must regard red light as having longer wavelength than blue light.

But it's entirely arbitrary whether we call electrons positive or negative.

 

[nuby]

I understand the electron and positron appear to be the exact same thing when observed, but one has a + charge and the other has a - negative charge by convention.

I was just asking if there was a possibility an electron/positron have a physical property that gives them their charge polarity. Is it possible? or no?

 

[Vanadium 50]

The physical property is "charge". The sign assignment is convention.