Why Does Coulomb's Unit Measurement Include Seconds?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the unit of charge, the coulomb, and its relationship to current and time. Participants are exploring the definitions and implications of these units in the context of physics.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are examining the definition of a coulomb and questioning why it is expressed in terms of Amperes seconds rather than Amperes per seconds. Some are discussing the mathematical relationships between current, charge, and time.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing insights into the definitions of charge and current. There are differing interpretations regarding the nature of charge as a total amount versus a rate, and analogies are being drawn to energy and power.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the definitions and implications of physical quantities, with an emphasis on understanding the distinction between total amounts and rates. There is a focus on ensuring clarity in the definitions used in the discussion.

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If a coulumb is defined as the amount of charge carried by a current of one Ampere in a second, why is its units Amperes seconds and not Amperes per seconds?
 
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I=\frac{dQ}{dt} by definition and so Q = \int I\;dt which has a unit of (amperes x seconds)
seems obvious to me, do I understand your question correctly?
 
Yes, I see how it works mathematically. But I just thought "the amount of charge carried by a current of one Ampere in a second" was similar to the amount of charge carried by a current of one Ampere per second" so it would have units of Amperes/S
 
No because a coulomb is a total amount of charge not a rate, so after 2 seconds you have 2 coulombs.
 
yeah, another example Energy = Power x time
and Energy is not a rate, while Power is. so amount of charge is like "energy" in this analogy
 

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