electric charge

American  

noun

Physics.

1. one of the basic properties of the elementary particles of matter giving rise to all electric and magnetic forces and interactions. The two kinds of charge are given negative and positive algebraic signs: measured in coulombs.

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electric charge British  

noun

1. another name for charge

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electric charge Scientific  

1. A form of charge, designated positive, negative, or zero, found on the elementary particles that make up all known matter. Particles with electric charge interact with each other through the electromagnetic force, creating electric fields, and when they are in motion, magnetic fields. The electric fields tend to result in a repulsive force between particles with charges of the same sign, and an attractive force between charges of opposite sign. The electron is defined to have an electric charge of −1; the protons in an atomic nucleus have charge of +1, and the neutrons have charge of 0.

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Closer Look

Electric charge is a basic property of elementary particles of matter. The protons in an atom, for example, have a positive charge, the electrons have a negative charge, and the neutrons have zero charge. In an ordinary atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, so the atom normally has no net electric charge. An atom becomes negatively charged if it gains extra electrons, and it becomes positively charged if it loses electrons; atoms with net charge are called ions. Every charged particle is surrounded by an electric field, the area in which the charge exerts a force. Particles with nonzero electric charge interact with each other by exchanging photons, the carriers of the electromagnetic force. The strength and direction of the force charged particles exert on each other depends on the product of their charges: they attract each other if the product of their charges is negative and repel each other if the product is positive. Thus two electrons, each with charge −1, will repel each other, since −1 × −1 = +1, a positive number. Static electricity consists of charged particles at rest, while electric current consists of moving charged particles, especially electrons or ions.

Example Sentences

Each has varying mass, electric charge and quantum properties.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Because electrons carry electric charge, they respond directly to electric and magnetic fields.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

Photons, which are particles of light, have no electric charge and therefore do not naturally react to those forces.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

The scientists believe that the nodules give off enough electric charge to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen, a process known as electrolysis.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

Something unpleasant is in the air around this place, like the electric charge before a thunderstorm.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell