since they are the paritcles that give us electricity shouldn't they have a positive charge?...in other words whats the difference between negative & positive charges
2006-11-22 09:06:03 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Benjamin Franklin realized that electrical charges came in two types, which he called positive and negative.
Rubbing smooth wool over rough wax produces a huge static electric charge on both the wax and the wool, and the charge can be released in the form of a spark. It was clear that electricity was flowing from one to the other, but which way? Franklin couldn't tell, so he guessed, assigning a "positive" electric charge to the wax and the "negative" electric charge to the wool.
It turned out he was wrong, but it took over a century to discover that.
2006-11-22 09:15:45 · answer #1 · answered by Keith P 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Based on the discovery of electrons by JJ. Thomson. He performed an experiment by applying electricity and a magnet to the cathode ray tube of W. Crookes. In an electrical plate system, it has two different electrodes, cathode(-) and anode(+). When it switched on, beam of rays are emitted by the cathode part and travel in straight direction inside the tube. applying magnet in the tube, these rays were deflected to the positive part of the magnet concluding that electrons bear negative charges. (Applying the Coulomb's Law)
2006-11-22 13:45:37 · answer #2 · answered by Jun 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In order to electricity to flow there must be positive and negative charges, otherwise it will be static and no current will activate any device.
Same as magnetism shall be a N and S poles in ortehr to create atraction.
Hope this help to understand your doubts.
2006-11-22 09:14:54 · answer #3 · answered by NightFighter117 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An atom is made of protons (+ charge), neutrons (no charge), and electrons (- charge). An atom has the same number of protons and electrons, so atoms have no charge. It is when you remove or add electrons to an atom that the atom gets a charge, called on ion, and this is what creates electricity.
2006-11-22 09:15:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not..... electricity as we know it flows from Negative to Positive. Thus electricity is the flow of electrons.
2006-11-22 09:39:04 · answer #5 · answered by stag_12 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
negative and positive are just terms used to keep account of electricity in physics.
they are only words that were arbitrarily chosen when they were discovered.
negative and positive dont not imply anything special ... it could have been the other way around if their discoverers wished.
the important thing is that are opposites and equal zero when added together ( so physics can make sense ! )
interesting question and i hope solved !
thanks :)
2006-11-22 16:16:40 · answer #6 · answered by fullbony 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electricity is like a vertical pipe. Stop giving it flow or gravity and it immediately stops. Gravity is the voltage and water flow is current. Wattage is like gallons per minute, friction with the pipe walls is like resistance. Insulators are like solid metal rods, and semiconductors are like pipes filled with metal foam.
Electrons are negative just because they are.
2006-11-22 10:00:48 · answer #7 · answered by anonymous 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
every yin has its yang. an electron could have just as easily been named a proton and vice versa. however, even with reality reversed, commonality would be the existance of both equal and opposite charges. a proton to an electron as matter to antimatter for example.
2006-11-22 09:31:26 · answer #8 · answered by go go manager 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋