Electric charge is the physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in

an electromagnetic field. There are two types of electric charge: positive and negative (commonly carried
by protons and electrons respectively). Like charges repel and unlike attract. An object with an absence of net
charge is referred to as neutral. Early knowledge of how charged substances interact is now called classical
electrodynamics, and is still accurate for problems that do not require consideration of quantum effects.
Electric charge is a conserved property; the net charge of an isolated system, the amount of positive charge
minus the amount of negative charge, cannot change. Electric charge is carried by subatomic particles. In
ordinary matter, negative charge is carried by electrons, and positive charge is carried by the protons in
the nuclei of atoms. If there are more electrons than protons in a piece of matter, it will have a negative charge,
if there are fewer it will have a positive charge, and if there are equal numbers it will be neutral. Charge
is quantized; it comes in integer multiples of individual small units called the elementary charge, e,
about 1.602×10−19 coulombs,[1] which is the smallest charge which can exist freely (particles called quarks have
smaller charges, multiples of 1/3e, but they are only found in combination, and always combine to form
particles with integer charge). The proton has a charge of +e, and the electron has a charge of −e.
An electric charge has an electric field, and if the charge is moving it also generates a magnetic field. The
combination of the electric and magnetic field is called the electromagnetic field, and its interaction with
charges is the source of the electromagnetic force, which is one of the four fundamental forces in physics. The
study of photon-mediated interactions among charged particles is called quantum electrodynamics.
The SI derived unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C) named after French physicist Charles-Augustin de
Coulomb. In electrical engineering, it is also common to use the ampere-hour (Ah); in physics and chemistry, it
is common to use the elementary charge (eas a unit). Chemistry also uses the Faraday constant as the charge on
a mole of electrons. The symbol Q often denotes charge.

Potential difference is the difference in the amount of energy that charge carriers have between two points in a
circuit.**Measured in Volts: **Potential difference (p.d.) is measured in volts (V) and is also called voltage.
The energy is transferred to the electrical components in a circuit when the charge carriers pass through them.
We use a voltmeter to measure potential difference (or voltage).Potential Difference formula:** V = I x R**The
potential difference (which is the same as voltage) is equal to the amount of current multiplied by the resistance.
A potential difference of one Volt is equal to one Joule of energy being used by one Coulomb of charge when it
flows between two points in a circuit.

An electric current is the rate of flow of electric charge past a point[1]:2[2]:622 or region.[2]:614 An electric
current is said to exist when there is a net flow of electric charge through a region.[3]:832 In electric circuits this
charge is often carried by electrons moving through a wire. It can also be carried by ions in an electrolyte, or by
both ions and electrons such as in an ionized gas (plasma).[4fw of electric charge across a surface at the rate of
one coulomb per second. The ampere (symbol: A) is an SI base unitElectric current is measured using a device
called an ammeter.
Electric currents cause Joule heating, which creates light in incandescent light bulbs. They also create magnetic
fields, which are used in motors, inductors and generators.
The moving charged particles in an electric current are called charge carriers. In metals, one or more electrons
from each atom are loosely bound to the atom, and can move freely about within the metal. These conduction
electrons are the charge carriers in metal conductors.
Resistance is a measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit.
Resistance is measured in ohms, symbolized by the Greek letter omega (Ω). Ohms are named after Georg Simon
Ohm (1784-1854), a German physicist who studied the relationship between voltage, current and resistance. He
is credited for formulating Ohm's Law.
All materials resist current flow to some degree. They fall into one of two broad categories:Conductors:
Materials that offer very little resistance where electrons can move easily. Examples: silver, copper, gold and
aluminum
Insulators: Materials that present high resistance and restrict the flow of electrons. Examples: Rubber, paper,
glass, wood and plastic.