Question

How many electrons make one coulomb charge?

Hint:

The charge of an electron is extremely small ($1.6 \times 10^{-19} \text{ C}$), which is why it takes a massive number of electrons (over 6 quintillion) to form just one Coulomb.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding Quantization of Charge.
According to the principle of quantization of charge, the total charge ($Q$) on a body is always an integral multiple of the basic unit of charge ($e$), which is the charge of an electron. This is mathematically expressed by the formula: $$Q = ne$$ Where $Q$ is the total charge, $n$ is the number of electrons, and $e$ is the elementary charge of a single electron.

Step 2: Identifying Given Values.
In this problem, we are asked to find the number of electrons ($n$) that constitute a total charge of one coulomb. The values we have are:

Total charge, $Q = 1 \text{ C}$
Charge of one electron, $e \approx 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \text{ C}$

Step 3: Calculating the Number of Electrons.
To find the value of $n$, we rearrange the quantization formula: $$n = \frac{Q}{e}$$ Substituting the known values into the equation: $$n = \frac{1 \text{ C}}{1.6 \times 10^{-19} \text{ C}}$$ $$n = 6.25 \times 10^{18}$$ Therefore, approximately $6.25 \times 10^{18}$ electrons combine to make one coulomb of charge.