4.2.1 Electric Charge

Objective: State that there are positive and negative charges

All matter is made up of atoms, which contain subatomic particles. Two of these particles have electric charge: protons and electrons.

Types of Electric Charge

There are two types of electric charge: positive and negative.

• Positive Charge: This is carried by protons, which are located in the nucleus of an atom.
• Negative Charge: This is carried by electrons, which orbit the nucleus of an atom.

Properties of Positive and Negative Charges

Positive and negative charges have a fundamental property: they repel each other. This means that like charges will always push away from each other.

Table Summarizing Electric Charge

Charge	Carrier Particle	Location	Interaction
Positive	Proton	Nucleus	Repels negative charges
Negative	Electron	Orbiting the nucleus	Repels positive charges

The presence of both positive and negative charges within an atom makes it electrically neutral. When an atom gains or loses electrons, it becomes an ion with a net positive or negative charge.