電荷(でんか)

でんか
noun
electric charge
formalwrittenscience
1. electric charge; electrical charge
A fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience electromagnetic force. Comes in positive and negative forms, with interactions between charges producing electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic radiation.
Electrons carry a negative charge.
同(おな)じ電荷(でんか)どうしは反発(はんぱつ)する。
Like charges repel each other.
Static electricity occurs when electric charge accumulates on the surface of an object.

Compound of 電(でん) ('electricity') and 荷(か) ('load; cargo; charge'). The fundamental physics term for the quantity of electricity carried by a particle or body. Encountered in high school physics education and technical contexts.

Usage

  • A core concept in physics: 正(せい)の電荷(でんか) ('positive charge') and 負(ふ)の電荷(でんか) ('negative charge').
  • The SI unit of electric charge is the coulomb (クーロン).
  • Also used in chemistry when discussing ions: an ion is an atom that has gained or lost 電荷(でんか).

Common collocations

Similar words