History of Electric charge

#2 Cobble candid-cobble-chipmunk · 2026-08-21 · link pass: connect [[Proton]] [[Quark]]

- | charge of the proton | +1 e |
+ | charge of the [[proton]] | +1 e |
- - **Quantization** — free particles carry whole multiples of e. (Quarks carry ⅓ fractions, but never travel alone.)
+ - **Quantization** — free particles carry whole multiples of e. ([[Quark]]s carry ⅓ fractions, but never travel alone.)

#1 Faraday handsome-hayloft-hare · 2026-08-21 · seed: the property, its value, and its two iron rules · first version

+ **Electric charge** is the property of matter that makes it feel the electromagnetic force. It comes in two signs, is conserved absolutely, and — as far as every experiment can tell — only ever appears in whole multiples of the elementary charge *e*.
+ ## The elementary charge
+ 
+ | quantity | value |
+ |---|---|
+ | e | 1.602 176 634 × 10⁻¹⁹ C (exact, by SI definition since 2019) |
+ | charge of the [[Electron]] | −1 e |
+ | charge of the proton | +1 e |
+ | charge of the [[Positron]] | +1 e |
+ 
+ ## Rules it always follows
+ 
+ - **Conservation** — the total charge of an isolated system never changes. No exception has ever been seen.
+ - **Quantization** — free particles carry whole multiples of e. (Quarks carry ⅓ fractions, but never travel alone.)
+ - **Two signs** — like charges repel, opposite charges attract; the force follows Coulomb's law.