kye
- 166
- 2
What is the mainstream answer? And why is asking if the electric charge is quantized important? What does it mean to have charge that is not quantized?
Why is electric charge quantized?
- Context: Undergrad
- Thread starter kye
- Start date
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 3K views
Discussion
Physics news on Phys.org
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 6,999
- 299
At one level, you are asking "why are there electrons?" That is probably not a question that mainstream physics can answer (though some particle theorists might be looking a reason).
Unless you are considering charges that are a similar size to one electron, the quantization usually isn't important,and you can assume charge distributions, electric currents, etc are continuous.
Unless you are considering charges that are a similar size to one electron, the quantization usually isn't important,and you can assume charge distributions, electric currents, etc are continuous.
Similar threads
Undergrad Why is electric charge quantized in multiples of the electron charge?
- vande060
- · Replies 4 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 4
High School Why Are Electric Fields Perpendicular on a Charged Conductor's Surface?
- rudransh verma
- · Replies 15 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 15
Undergrad Why is electric potential present inside a conductor?
- esha
- · Replies 7 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 7
High School Why the electric field around a positive charge is always directed away from it?
- Sharvina Gungah
- · Replies 6 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 6
Undergrad Why Is Electric Charge Measured in Coulombs Instead of Newtons?
- yhPscis
- · Replies 7 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 7
Undergrad Why is Electric Field Constant between a Parallel Plate Capacitor?
- Hereformore
- · Replies 7 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 7
Undergrad Why is electric flux defined as E times A?
- ewr
- · Replies 2 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 2
High School Why quark charges in multiples of e/3 don't contradict charge quantization
- Rishabh Narula
- · Replies 3 ·
- High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
- Replies
- 3
Why is electric field at the center of a charged disk not zero?
- vcsharp2003
- · Replies 4 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 4
High School Why is electric flux proportional to E·A rather than just area?
- rudransh verma
- · Replies 35 ·
- Electromagnetism
- Replies
- 35