Definition of electric charge in English English dictionary
the static electric energy of a charged body; the quantity of unbalanced positive or negative ions in or on an object; measured in coulombs
a quantum number of some subatomic particles which determines their electromagnetic interactions; by convention the electron has an electric charge of -1, the proton +1 and quarks have fractional charge
Quantity of electricity that flows in electric currents or that accumulates on the surfaces of dissimilar nonmetallic substances that are rubbed together briskly. It occurs in discrete natural units, equal to the charge of an electron or proton. It cannot be created or destroyed. Charge can be positive or negative; one positive charge can combine with one negative charge, and the result is a net charge of zero. Two objects that have an excess of the same type of charge repel each other, while two objects with an excess of opposite charge attract each other. The unit of charge is the coulomb, which consists of 6.24 10^18 natural units of electric charge