SI unit of electric charge
The SI unit of electric charge is the coulomb (symbol: C)
The SI unit of electric charge is the coulomb (symbol: C). It is named after the French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, who made significant contributions to the understanding of electrical forces.
The coulomb is defined as the amount of electric charge that flows through a point in a circuit when a current of one ampere is sustained for one second. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
1 coulomb = 1 ampere × 1 second
To put it another way, if a current of 1 ampere is flowing through a wire for 1 second, then the amount of charge that has passed through a specific point in the wire is 1 coulomb.
It is important to note that the coulomb is a large unit of charge. In everyday situations, smaller units such as the microcoulomb (μC) or millcoulomb (mC) are often used. For instance, the charge on an average-sized lightning bolt can be in the range of several tens or hundreds of coulombs.
Understanding the unit of electric charge is crucial in many scientific areas, particularly in electromagnetism, electrical engineering, and electronics. By quantifying the amount of charge, the coulomb helps in determining the behavior of electric currents, electrical forces, electric fields, voltage, and capacitance, among other fundamental concepts in physics.
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