Explore the question in detail with explanation, related questions, and community discussions.
In physics, electric charge is a basic property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electric field. The SI (International System of Units) unit used to measure electric charge is the coulomb, symbolized as C.
One coulomb is defined as the amount of electric charge transported by a constant current of one ampere in one second. This relationship is expressed using the formula:
Q = I × t
Where:
Q = electric charge (in coulombs)
I = current (in amperes)
t = time (in seconds)
So, if a current of one ampere flows for one second, it delivers one coulomb of charge.
Let’s look at the other options to understand why they are incorrect:
Ampere is the SI unit of electric current, not charge. It tells us how much charge flows per second, but it’s not the charge itself.
Ohm is the SI unit of resistance, which measures how much a material resists the flow of electric current.
Volt is the SI unit of electric potential or voltage, which tells us the energy per unit charge.
Coulomb is named after Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, a French physicist who studied electrostatic forces. The coulomb is a relatively large unit — for example, the charge of a single electron is approximately −1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs.
In summary, the correct SI unit for measuring electric charge is the coulomb. It is a foundational unit in physics and plays a key role in electrical formulas and calculations involving current, time, and energy
Discussion
Leave a Comment