Question

What do you mean by quantization of charge?

Hint:

Charge is quantized, meaning that the charge on any object is always a multiple of the elementary charge \( e \).

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the concept.
Quantization of charge refers to the fact that the charge of an object can only be an integer multiple of the elementary charge \( e \), which is the charge of a single electron or proton. This means that charges are discrete and not continuous. The charge \( q \) of any object can be expressed as: \[ q = n \times e \] where \( n \) is an integer and \( e \approx 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \, \text{C} \) is the elementary charge.
Step 2: Explanation.
This concept implies that charges come in discrete units, and it is impossible to have a charge that is a fraction of the elementary charge. This was first proposed by Max Planck and later confirmed by experiments.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Quantization of charge is a fundamental concept in electromagnetism that states that the total charge in any system is always an integer multiple of the elementary charge.