Question

What makes a charge positive or negative? Don't say protons are positive, electrons negative and same/opposites repel/attract. Just what exactly is it about the positive charge of the proton that is different from the negative charge of an electron?

Answer 1

The concept of positive and negative charges is deeply rooted in the framework of electromagnetism. However, describing the fundamental nature of electric charge itself goes beyond the scope of our current scientific understanding. We can observe and measure the behavior of electric charges, but explaining why they exist and their precise nature is still an active area of research.

That being said, I can provide you with an overview of how positive and negative charges are typically understood:

1. Charge Conservation: Electric charge is conserved, meaning it cannot be created or destroyed. Charge is always present in the universe and can only be transferred from one object to another. When an object has an excess of electrons, it carries a negative charge, and when it has a deficit of electrons, it carries a positive charge.

2. Protons: Protons are one of the three fundamental particles that make up atoms, along with neutrons and electrons. Protons carry a positive charge, which is conventionally assigned the value of +1 elementary charge. This positive charge is believed to arise from the properties of the particle itself, such as its internal structure and interactions with other particles.

3. Electrons: Electrons, on the other hand, carry a negative charge, conventionally assigned the value of -1 elementary charge. Like protons, the exact nature of electron charge is not fully understood at a fundamental level. However, the negative charge of electrons is considered the opposite of the positive charge carried by protons.

It is important to note that the terms "positive" and "negative" are simply labels we assign to describe the observed behavior of electric charges. We observe that like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract. The exact reasons why positive charges attract negative charges and like charges repel are still a subject of ongoing research in the field of particle physics and quantum mechanics.

To fully understand the fundamental nature of electric charge and the differences between positive and negative charges, scientists continue to study and explore the properties of subatomic particles and their interactions through experiments and theoretical models.