Electric charge is a fundamental property of some subatomic particles, like electrons and protons. These charges cause them to experience attraction or repulsion forces.
A charge can be either positive or negative. Electrons carry a negative charge, while protons have a positive charge.
Objects usually have a balanced amount of protons and electrons, making them neutral. However, if they gain or lose electrons, they become charged.
- An object with more electrons than protons has a negative charge.
- An object with more protons than electrons has a positive charge.
The unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C). In our specific problem, we have metal spheres with equal negative charges, which means they will repel each other. This repulsion is due to like charges pushing away from each other.